


Pendulum

by Flawed_Masterpiece



Series: Monsters Have Mothers Too [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Character Death, Character Development, F/M, Kylo Ren Needs a Hug, Kylo Ren Redemption, Original Character(s), Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, POV Third Person, Post-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-23
Updated: 2017-08-13
Packaged: 2018-07-16 21:48:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 42
Words: 53,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7285963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flawed_Masterpiece/pseuds/Flawed_Masterpiece
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the eyes of Snoke, she was a prize.<br/>In the eyes of the First Order, she was a superior.<br/>In the eyes of the galaxy, she was a monster.<br/>In the eyes of Kylo Ren, she was perfect.<br/>In the eyes of the Force, she was the Chosen One.</p>
<p>All Avelyn could remember in her life was the presence of the Dark Side; the need to know the power behind it. She was Snoke’s faithful puppet; carrying out orders left and right. To destroy the Republic and the Resistance was all she knew to do; the path she chose to take.</p>
<p>But the Force moves in mysterious ways and she found herself looking at another path; a less evil one. And she didn’t know what to choose.</p>
<p>Because the Dark Side is the right path, isn’t it?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

"There's been an awakening."

Supreme Leader Snoke looked at the hologram of Kylo Ren, his apprentice. The young man stood solemn as his master leaned forward a bit. "Have you felt it?" Snoke waited patiently for an answer as he felt Kylo through the Force. The light was calling to him again and the Supreme Leader narrowed his eyes slightly as his apprentice answered.

"Yes."

\------------------------

Snoke pressed a button and the hologram of Kylo vanished. He had much to think about, much to plan out and it had to be done carefully, had to be precise. The future was unknown, even to him, but that didn't mean he couldn't help shape it to be in his favor. 

A presence slowly spread at the base of his skull, a slight thrum echoing in his mind.

He straightened up. There were few who felt like that in the Force when around and he only knew of one who would be so daft to approach him. He turned to look beside himself as they moved. A dark figure, emerged from the shadows, stopped in front of him at the base of the platform which held his throne. He watched them carefully and asked the same question that he already knew the answer to.

"There's been an awakening. Have you feel it?"

A feminine voice spoke from the darkness within the figure’s hood.

"Yes."


	2. One

_Anger, fear, pain and confusion is what rolled off of him in waves._

_Kylo Ren was full of rage as he battled with the scavenger from Jakku. But the confused nature that swirled around his pain was noticeable in many way. He had succeeded in killing his father, completed the task which was unspokingly given to him and yet the pain in which he felt was not what he expected to feel. Power and strength is what he needed but it did not come and it enraged him. This pain needed to be gone, needed to be driven out but he could do nothing. And this girl, this **scavenger** , did nothing to help as he swung his ‘saber at her. _

_She was making everything worse cause she was strong and he was **weak**._

_All of this ran through the mind of this dark man._

__

__\------------------------------_ _

 

A voice broke the trance.

 

“My little star.”

 

Dark brown eyes opened slowly as their mind withdrew from the battle on a planet far away and carefully looked at the grey skinned humanoid. His tiny black eyes gleamed brightly back into their own as they sat at the base of his platform.

 

“Yes, my lord?”

 

Snoke continued to look at them as he studied them, like he did every time.

 

__She__  was almost a masterpiece in his eyes; so strong in the Dark side of the Force, so full of endless __rage__. He had trained her since she was a child, shaped and molded her into what he needed her to be. She had gone beyond what he had hoped she would accomplish, making her almost the perfect apprentice. Past apprentices had failed him again and again and yet she never did. Kylo Ren might be his greatest achievement, a Skywalker descendant walking fully in the Dark side, but she would always be his favorite next to Ren. Every other apprentice he had killed but she was a gem, a star.

 

A being powerful in the Force.

 

“What do you feel, Avelyn?”

 

She straightened when he used her name, eyes flashing for a moment and her brow furrowing. He did not use her full name like that unless he wanted a definitive answer. “He is in rage. He feels pain for his father but he does not want to.” She stopped sharp as a beep sounded from Snoke’s holocomm. He grumbled and turned it on, noting the falling rocks in the hologram before him. Hux appeared, in a very fleeting walk and told him what was happening on Starkiller.

 

Avelyn went back into meditation, looking for everything and nothing. Kylo Ren was hurt, the traitor was barely alive and the scavenger was in a rage. Brown bangs fell into her eyes, the strands brushing against her lashes as her side layers followed, creating a shield around her face. She focused on the girl, almost surprised to find her touching into the Dark side. It made sense however, as the Dark side was always there for those who were in rage, in pain. But she was of the Light, a brightness in the darkness; a beacon for those who had lost their way. Avelyn hissed in her mind and withdrew as a burning sensation clouded her thoughts.

 

The scavenger was powerful in the Force and the Light inside of her almost seeped out of every pore. It was blinding to Avelyn; the Dark clouding a protective wall between her and the Light. She was balanced in the Darkness and the Light had never called but the scavenger seemed to push the Light at everything she came in contact with. The girl would not know this due to her inexperience but Avelyn knew. She knew because she was trained to know, molded into knowing. She clenched her jaw.

 

A dark presence stroked her mind with a powerful hand.

 

She looked back at Snoke as he shut down the holocomm and he leaned back in his chair. He was pleased but frustrated; angry yet calm. The young apprentice sat in silence, staring at her master while he was in thought and in her head. He moved through her mind, she could feel him. He harshly stroked the walls of her mind, the protective ones of things she did not wish to see. The Dark lord went deeper than she wanted him to and looked at memories she couldn’t remember. He never let her see and in return, she never mentioned it.

 

It’s what made her his favorite.

 

“General Hux is coming with Kylo Ren. He’s ready to continue in his training and the General needs to fix what we lost.”

 

She knew what her master meant. Hux had failed to destroy the Resistance base; had failed Snoke. He was sure in his abilities and that caused his downfall. She had seen many men fall because of their pride and Hux was no better.

 

Snoke studied her as she stood and went into the darkness of his throne room, her boots barely making a sound. He heard her mask snap into place, something she had taken to wearing in the past years, and the sound of rustling fabric. A slight thrum went though the space as she continued to stand out of his sight in the shadows; his narrowing eyes barely catching her form. He listened to her footsteps come closer before stopping at the edge of the only light coming through the ceiling.

 

“They’ve made it into the atmosphere.”

 

He nodded as he also felt through the Force to his apprentice. As the adrenalin faded from the young man, the pain from his wounds hit him in full force. He would need medical attention before he could stand before his master, making Snoke frown. He was not a patient master but he could not have his apprentice die due to his carelessness.

 

_Kylo Ren._

 

His apprentice startled in his mind, caught off guard for a moment. _Yes, my lord?_

__

_Attend to your wounds before standing before me._

_Yes, my lord._

__

Avelyn watched her master as he appeared deep in thought. She could feel Kylo Ren through the Force, his presence growing stronger and stronger. The two apprentices had never met, which was she thought was odd as she had been near him more than twice in the galaxy. But Snoke had her doing things for him and Kylo Ren had duties to serve in The First Order.

 

A ripple went through the Force and she contained a shiver.

 

“They’ve landed, my lord.”

 

“Excellent, my little star.”


	3. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I can literally see Snoke living in a big freaking cave like a cave troll.

Kylo Ren grunted as the medical droids tended to him.

 

He was seething with anger at being bested by the scavenger - _the traitor had called her Rey _-__  and the Force rippled with his rage. After being founded by Hux, he was dragged into his black shuttle - _Hux, you touched my ship_  - and then was left on the floor of the carrier; bleeding in several places. He tried calling upon the Force to help heal himself but _he was too weak_  and it pissed him off. As he let out a scream of frustration, the fluids in the vials the medical droids carried sloshed dangerously. The gash that resided across his face _burned_  with pain. It felt worse than the bowcaster wound that Chewie - _that blasted wookie _-__ gave him after his father fell down the pit.

 

One of the droids _finally_  put a bacta patch on his face, the pain subsiding as another droid administered a painkiller of some sort. His robes, shirt and pants were cut away from his body, leaving him in his undergarment, as four droids swarmed around him; taking care of the ‘saber wounds that _kriffing scavenger_  dealt him. Closing his eyes for a few moments, he felt the ever present feeling of Snoke in the back of his mind. But through the Force, he felt another being; strong and powerful in the Dark side. They almost felt like _Rey_  but it wasn’t her, it was someone else; someone well grounded and balanced in the Dark. And it was almost _pleasurable_  to just feel the darkness surrounding them.

 

Until his mind was shoved out of their space.

 

Kylo gasped and narrowed his eyes as the presence _disappeared_  from his grasp. Hiding one’s presence in the Force was something that a Force user spent _years_  working on and he wondered who Snoke had in his clutches. Fear seized him at the thought of another apprentice taking his place. Didn’t Snoke want him to continue his training? Or had he been tricked? He grit his teeth and grasped onto the dull pain of his wounds, grounding himself. If Snoke wanted him dead, he wouldn’t have told him to take care of his wounds first.

 

Wouldn’t want him getting his strength back.

 

Finally, _finally_ , the droids were done and he was given new clothing, identical to what he had on before. He grinded his teeth together as he slipped into the clothing and realized _he had left his helmet on the catwalk back at Starkiller_. Shooting out his hand, he clenched it and a droid caved in on itself behind him. He didn’t even know if Hux had thought to pick up his lightsaber as well. Breathing heavily, he grabbed the new robe and slid it on before making his way down the dark halls.

 

Snoke’s presence grew bigger and bigger with each step; in his mind and in the air. It was familiar but he never could get used to the choking feeling it held. Reaching out through the Force, he felt Snoke, Hux and the presence from before; so very faint. He reached the door to Snoke’s throne chamber and clenched his fists before using the Force to open the huge grey stoned doors.

 

He started to walk towards the throne in the middle of the stone chamber, the familiar grey humanoid of his master seated in it. He saw the red hair of Hux as the man knelt before the dark lord who radiated anger off in waves. Kylo could feel Hux’s frustration; frustration at his failure. He was silently pleased that Hux was like this; he always hated the man and the general was always trying to outdo him for Snoke’s approval and blessing.

 

His attention was quickly shifted toward the third presence in the room.

 

They had their back turned towards him, their own black robe bunched slightly on the floor as it hung off of their figure. As he slowly and quietly walked forward, they turned to look at him. Their hood was pulled forward over their head and all he saw was a small gleam of metal coming from the bottom half of their face. He tensed a bit when he realized it was mask and it made him wonder why they had it; why the _female_ needed it. Her head tilted slowly back as he approached before she was looking up at him; the tip of her head barely reaching his shoulder. He stood beside Hux before kneeling in respect to his master. “My lord.”

 

“Rise, Kylo Ren.”

 

He slowly rose to his feet, his mouth twitching as pain shot through his side and a _presence_  slowly spreading through the back of his mind. Reaching for it, he quickly realized it _was not the presence from the girl who was now next to him_. Quickly, he shut out whatever it was before he felt the familiar probing of Snoke in his mind. He quietly bore the ungentle mind of his master as he looked through the memories of what happened on Starkiller.

 

“The girl got away?”

 

He swallowed, the skin under the bacta patch tightening before loosening as he did. “She called upon the Dark side, my lord. I was caught by surprise.” Snoke leaned forward. “You should have been prepared for anything, Kylo Ren.” The apprentice dropped his gaze in submission and Snoke looked at the female next to him, Hux continuing to kneel in quiet.

 

“What do you think, Avelyn?”

 

Keeping his head down, Kylo shifted his gaze from the floor to _Avelyn_  and waited her reply. She grabbed the edges of her hood and pushed it back, a soft thud echoing throughout the chamber as it fell against her back. Snoke bore into her dark brown eyes as he gave her images of what he had taken from Kylo’s mind. While they waited for her to speak, Kylo continued to study her.

 

Her dark brown hair was in many layers and the length came an inch below her shoulders; side bangs brushing against the upper eyelashes of her right eye. The bottom half of her face was, indeed, hidden by a mask. It was all black with a few silver bolts keeping it held together. She wore familiar clothing to Kylo: black but her shirt and pants were more tightly fitted. A lightsaber was barely visible from a black leather belt; hidden by her side and almost teasingly popping out every now and then for a quick second. Her fingers peeked out from the long sleeves of her robe and she wore no gloves but his attention was brought to her right hand. Her fingers were encased in black, metal casings and the tips were sharpened into points. It looked like she had talons instead of actual fingers and Kylo was _intrigued_  by it.

 

He was brought back into focus by a sharp grab to his mind.

 

Kylo straightened up, the bandages on his body tightening as Avelyn glared disapprovingly at him before turning back to Snoke. Her voice sounded slightly modified while she spoke; almost sounding like him when he spoke through his helmet and he _cursed_  at the thought of the object. “I do not know what to think of the situation, Supreme Leader. It’s.. _unique_  in it’s own nature that she was able to call upon the Dark side as inexperienced as she was.”

 

“Good, my star.” Snoke nodded slowly before turning to Hux. “General. What must be done to get The First Order ready for another attack?” The red headed man stood and straightened his stance; hands clasped tightly behind his back. “We took a heavy loss, Supreme Leader. As Starkiller was our main base and training ground, we must search for another planet to train the new recruits and set up our main resources.”

 

Avelyn tilted her head back as she listened. Snoke only let her, the Knights of Ren and a few squads of stormtroopers stay within his domain. He was very careful in keeping himself hidden and training stormtroopers near his location was not an option. As she listened, she noted Kylo Ren wincing every few minutes and glancing in her direction. She started to narrow her eyes at him when a slight thrum sounded throughout her mind. She snapped her head to look behind her as the thrum got stronger.

 

Snoke and Hux stopped talking as the dark lord caught her movement and Kylo brought his head up to look at her. From the faint light, he noticed her pupils dilating and the room’s air started to cackle with her energy. Her power pushed into every corner of the room and Kylo almost stopped breathing as he felt her.

 

“My little star? Is it another?”

 

Avelyn continued to stare into nothing as her hands clenched and unclenched; metal talons clicking together as she did.

 

“Yes.”


	4. Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I need to set an alarm or something to update cause I almost forgot :/

Avelyn felt the familiar pulsing in her head as the Force pushed the sensation deeper into her mind.

 

Snoke had quickly dismissed both Hux and Kylo Ren, the latter skittering along the border of her mind before retreating. When they were gone and the doors closed, Snoke invaded her senses as he felt along the presence that had shown itself. “You’ve done well yet again, my child.”

 

And she had.

 

For years, she had worked on her powers in the Force, poured over many books on the subject and read many accounts from both Jedi and Sith. The Force was a powerful thing and any Force being had so much potential in it if they just _worked_  at it. She had read the story of Darth Nihilus, who was so _trained_  in the Force that he could sense Force beings from across the galaxy. She wanted to be like that, _needed_  to be like that.

 

So she trained.

 

She trained until she had exhausted herself, sometimes passing out before Snoke if she strained herself. The need for that power, the praise it got from Snoke, drove her on. And she achieved it. She achieved the power to sense Force sensitives, small or great, and Force objects or relics. They were spread across the Outer Rim and the galaxy and she knew when was one was unearthed; a string in the Force that tied itself to her. Snoke praised her in her success and would send her to collect whatever was unearthed or to persuade whoever called out to her to be brought back to him.

 

The objects she always brought back.

 

The beings, she never did.

 

After a while, Snoke stopped asking for the Force sensitives.

 

He instead told her to kill them.

 

And she would. An endless rage would always drive her into striking them down; the thought of being replaced and abandoned by her master pained her and she would grasp onto that pain. Pain and fear were both paths to the Dark side. And she was the dark; powerful and evil in a beautiful rage. Snoke had seen her achieve through it and she surpassed Kylo Ren in the Force.

 

Jedi and Sith alike had a specific technique they surpassed in.

 

She surpassed in them all.

 

And as Snoke looked at her, her mind reaching through the Force, he knew he had to be careful. As grand as it all was, he could not keep out the fear that her powers would surpass him, that _she would surpass him_. That she would strike him down, he who had lived before the Skywalkers ever became the family that they were today.

 

He would not have it.

 

He would watch and make her regret, make her _curse_  the day, if she ever turned on him.

 

But it was not now.

 

“Avelyn.”

 

The brunette struggled to look towards her master, the pull to whatever was out there calling, _crying out_ to her. She needed to answer it. But she was obedient, submissive before Snoke, and was able to shift her gaze towards his. He leaned closer to her and she could see the shadows dance in the deformity of his sunken in face. “Bring it back to me, my apprentice.” Her jaw clenched and her robes fluttered as she walked out of the chamber. Snoke watched her go before leaning back into his throne

 

_Hux. Attend to me._

 

\-------------------------------------------------------

Avelyn walked down the halls toward the hangar, her presence creeping along the walls and pushing into the corners.

 

She could hide her presence well but she loved making herself known, to feel the fear seep out of beings across the galaxy. The stormtroopers always stood to the side when she was around them and the Knights, they hardly dare make a challenge towards her. They were strong but the Force in her was not to be trifle with in any way.

 

Arriving in the hangar bay bought upon an excited feeling, the thrill of the hunt. Someone or something was calling to __her__  whether they knew it or not and she was always _ready_ to answer. Her squad of troopers lined themselves along the ramp of her own shuttle and she climbed in, feeling the excitement seep from them. They were handy in destroying villages that needed to be wiped from a planet as she could not leave witnesses behind. Whether Snoke knew it or not - _he did because how could he not_  -, she could never leave a being that had laid eyes on her outside of the First Order. She was a ghost, a monster in the night; a nightmare that children could not sleep with and that’s how she liked it.

 

It was how she came to live.

 

Walking into the cockpit, she swiped her robes aside before settling down into the copilot’s seat; a trooper accompanying her in the pilot’s. She closed her eyes and focused on the presence, her hand moving on it’s own to set the coordinates. Opening them when she felt the familiar takeoff of the shuttle, she saw the planet of Tatooine and narrowed her eyes. She had been a few times to the desert planet and she _hated_  it there. Hated the heat, the sun, the _kriffing_ sand - _why did there have to be planets made up entirely of **sand**_ \- but she hated the humans and creatures that resided on the planet the most.

 

**_If she had to deal with another Hutt, she’d destroy that entire race before returning to Snoke._ **

 

She leaned back in her chair as the trooper next to her flipped a few switches, hit a few buttons before turning their head slightly towards her. Knowing exactly what to do, she flipped two switches before pulling a small lever and the trooper put them into lightspeed. Stars flew past them in a blurriness of white streaks and Avelyn closed her eyes, slipping quietly into a meditation. The presence of whatever called rested in the back of her skull along with the faint cloud of Snoke. He was always, _always_ , there and she felt his presence pulse once before dimming down. She pressed harder and suddenly felt Kylo Ren’s rage. A dark, powerful rage at something and as she pressed closer, a wall went up. She skirted around it, a dangerous predator looking for a weak spot before pulling back and reaching out into the darkness of the Force.

 

Searching for a presence - _one_ _**stupid**  human_ - and she could not find him; just like always.

 

Howling into the nothingness, she let herself be brought back into the present; the trooper gently taking them out of lightspeed. Tatooine loomed before them, the being next to Avelyn following the coordinates she gave them. Her fingers twitched and the talons clicked together as the presence grew stronger. She tampered it down before it got to be too much and glared at the planet, eyes flashing. The shuttle flew through the air and she sensed a small village a short ways away due east of them. She instructed the trooper to set them down and did her part of the landing before standing; pulling her hood low over her face.

 

The presence pulsed violently.


	5. Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eek, chapters got mixed up 0-0

Tatooine is nothing but a harsh, dry planet.

 

The people who had lived there for decades built moisture farms to provide drink for those who inhabited the planet. Sand was everywhere you looked and the beings that lived there were as harsh as the planet itself. They knew how to bargain, how to scavenge and how to fend for themselves.

 

Unfortunately, it was where Avelyn had to be.

 

She frowned as the trooper powered down the shuttle and made her way down the ramp. The trooper squad followed her and paired into twos, sticking close. Pulling her hood lower, she made her way to the top of a huge dune. Below her was a small village, if she could even call it that. It was more like shacks and tents pitched together to make a small camp, several torches and fires lighting the way through the encampment. Avelyn crept slowly down, the presence of the Force getting stronger in her mind as she came to the first shack. Searching a bit more, she went a few more tents to the left before stopping. Whatever was in there was pulsing with the Force and it called to her. Gritting her teeth, she crept along the outer wall of the establishment; her squad of troopers positioning themselves on the ridge, and she paused. For a split second, she closed her eyes; letting the Force run free. It was poured into the small village, her mind holding it steady as the darkness crept into the homes. There were beings inside all the establishments, two in the one she was currently beside, and she opened her eyes as they flashed violently.

 

She ducked into the doorway.

 

And was greeted with wide, frightened eyes.

 

A young boy and, what was most likely, his father stared up in horror at her. It didn’t take much to know what they saw: a monster of the night. She reached out with the Force, calling to the object in the home and a box rattled violently behind the father. But her eyes widened when the young boy was jerked to the floor from where he was sitting. She focused on him and he flew through the air into her right hand; the talons pressing dangerously into the skin of his neck. Growling, she called once more for the object and the box flew open; a long, object flying into her other hand.

 

A lightsaber.

 

She glared at the boy and lowered her defenses; the Dark Side slinking into the village once more like a plague. The troopers felt it and swept down into the village, forcing people out of their homes. They gathered them together as Avelyn dragged the boy from his home, the ‘saber still in her hand. A thin stream of blood adorned the boys neck as a talon pierced his skin, giving away how tight her grip was. Throwing him on the ground, the dark figure loomed over him; her hands shaking as she narrowed her eyes at him.

 

“Where did you get this?”

 

Her voice boomed through the speakers of her mask and her eyes pierced through the darkness. The little boy started to sob and his father was begging for her to let his son go; both of which fell on deaf ears. The sound of a lightsaber being activated broke through the noise and a red beam ripped through the air; the father’s head rolling on the sand toward his son as his body slumped to the ground. As the little boy screamed, the red ‘saber came in front of his face and cast a red glow on the tear-streaked cheeks. “Where did you find this?” Tear-filled eyes glanced at the inactive ‘saber hilt before snapping back to the activated one before him. “In- in- in a cave.” Avelyn relaxed a moment and let out a deep breath.

 

“Alright then.”

 

The red ‘saber twirled.

 

And the boy’s head went rolling to join his father’s.

 

The rest of the small village was panicking as mothers gripped their children close and the men tried to protect the weak ones. Avelyn looked upon them in annoyance before the captain of her squad stepped forward. “What do you want us to do with them?” She snorted. “What we always do: destroy it all.”

 

“Ready your weapons!”

 

Screams filled the air as the blasters found their targets, several of the troopers had strayed to set fire to the village. Avelyn looked around before resting her eyes on a small, blonde haired girl who was screaming next to her dead mother. The child felt eyes on themselves and turned to meet the dark ones of her’s. The two stared at each other before Avelyn decided to slip quietly inside the child’s mind. Hardship and carefree child’s play plagued the child’s memories but fear had taken hold as soon as she had seen the troopers. The dark one pulled out of the little girl’s mind and made her way back to the shuttle; her saber still active in her hand.

 

Avelyn deactivated the red sword when she reached her shuttle and swiftly put it away before going inside. Once she was settled into her seat, her attention turned to the one she had found. It was of an older model, the metal somewhat rusted in areas but the Force was still strong with the crystal inside. As she focused on the hilt, it became increasingly heavy in her hands and her eyes narrowed as she continued to search it through the Force. It became painstakingly obvious that the ‘saber had once belong to a Jedi as she continued in her search of the crystal. It was riddled with the Light and she almost shied away from it before gritting her teeth; sticking it into the pocket of her robes.

 

Snoke would be pleased.

 

He was always pleased when she brought back a relic filled with the Force but when she returned with a forgotten lightsaber from time to time, his eyes would sparkle with an unimaginable evil. The Supreme Leader had a small but impressive collection of lightsabers and adding a new one into it brought out an emotion she did not understand.

 

As much as she tried not to, Avelyn feared him in moments like that.

 

Her attention was drawn away from the ‘saber and her master as the trooper pilot took up their seat once more. The two of them readied the shuttle and took off, the burning village barely visible to out of the corners of Avelyn’s eyes. She did not need to see it though. Her task was done and now she needed to return to Snoke.

 

When the shuttle at last touched down in the hangar of Snoke’s domain, she stormed out of the shuttle with her troopers in tow. Maintenance crews and officer personnel quickly stood at attention as she walked past. All tensed when she stopped suddenly in her tracks and slowly turned her head to look towards a certain red-headed man.

 

“Hux.”

 

The general turned to her as her hand shot out and a lightsaber flew out of his pocket into her grip. “Does Kylo Ren know you have this?” Hux straightened up and clasped his hands behind his back before strolling confidently toward Avelyn. “I was keeping it safe for him.” A robotic chuckle sounded throughout the hall. “Really?” Avelyn held up the ‘saber for him to see. “I shall return it to it’s rightful master now. Wouldn’t want to lose our favorite general, would we?”

 

Hux clenched his jaw as the cloaked female continued making her way through the complex to where Snoke was waiting for her.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	6. Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I think I got the chapters in order again.

Snoke was indeed waiting for her when she arrived.

 

He was sitting on his throne, hands folded in his lap, as she pushed open the doors to his chambers. Avelyn swallowed hard as she made her way forward, his presence wrapping itself around her like a cloak; like a mother’s arms around a child. While Snoke did not having a calming effect, it was the closest thing Avelyn had to a mother’s comfort. She could vaguely remember her own mother’s arms, let alone the love she had once felt. Snoke was all she knew, all she dared to feel.

 

It did not help the fear that threatened to rise in the base of her spine.

 

Avelyn knelt in front of the throne, hood removed and head bowed, as Snoke leaned forward. “Rise, my child.” His voice echoed as she stood; brown eyes wiped of emotions.

 

“Did you bring it back?”

 

Her chin tilted upwards. “Yes, Supreme Leader.”

 

Taloned fingers clicked against the ‘saber hilt as she removed it from her robe’s pocket, Ren’s weighing heavily in her other one. Snoke’s eyes widened as she approached him and held it out, the Force pulsing from both her and the old lightsaber. Long, gray fingers touched the hilt before fully grasping it. Snoke held it in his hand as he studied it and Avelyn backed down a few steps, watching him carefully. He looked up.

 

“How was it found?”

 

“A boy, my lord. A scavenger’s son.”

 

Black eyes narrowed and Snoke spoke slower. “How was it found?”

 

Avelyn twitched as she found Snoke clouding around her mind’s walls and brought them down, falling to one knee as he swarmed inside. Her heavy breathing was muffled by her mask as Snoke took in the images of her finding the blade and killing the boy along with his father. He dismissed the images of the little girl before pulling out of her mind and she shakily stood as the grey humanoid leaned back into his throne. “So he was Force sensitive?” Avelyn swallowed. “Yes. But I do not know if he was born with it or acquired it after he touched the lightsaber.”

 

Snoke made a sound with his tongue. “I wish you would have.”

 

The female before him straightened almost defiantly and he was tempted to put her into submission. He decided against it, letting it go for the time being, and instead slowly flipped the hilt in his hand. “You have done well, my child.” Avelyn bowed her head and Snoke waved a hand. “You’re dismissed.”

 

She turned to go but Snoke caught her with the Force, keeping her still. Her eyes widened slightly as she turned to look at him. “I would give Kylo Ren his blade though. General Hux was foolish in thinking he could keep it from him.” She nodded and he only then let her go, watching as she disappeared from his chambers.

 

\----------------------------------------------------------  
  
Avelyn searched for Ren through the Force and found him in the medical bay.

 

She stopped in the middle of the hallway, accessing the damage that was dealt to him. The medical droids were working on a wound in his left side, an impressive injury if she dare say. One droid was working on his face and she got the feeling of rage coming off of Ren as the droid touched him.

 

Pulling herself back into reality, she rotated her shoulders before heading toward the stairway at her right. The whole third floor of Snoke’s castle, domain, base thing was dedicated to the Knights of Ren. It had their quarters, their operations room and their training room. It was where she was a familiar; training with them when their Master wasn’t around or when she didn’t have a mission,

 

It didn’t mean she was welcomed, however.

 

As she walked into their training room, six black cloaked and masked figures stopped in their tracks as she approached. She held her head high as her boots made dull thuds that sounded throughout the room. Taking off her robe, she threw it on the ground; leaving her with just her mask and basic clothing. All six Knights took up their arms and started to circle her.

 

The one with the vibro-pike twirled his weapon around. “Snoke’s pet wants to spar?”

 

She clenched her jaw, causing discomfort for a moment as her jawbone was crushed against her mask. “I don’t need to answer that.” Pike, as she called him in her mind, chuckled as the two with swords rushed at her. In a split second, her ‘saber was in her hand and ignited; blocking both swords successfully. She used the Force to wrap a binding around the legs of the smallest of the two before pushing back against them, swinging at the bigger one before stepping into a rhythm with him. Small Sword howled with anger as he tried to break free and brought up his blaster, firing a shot. Avelyn force jumped over Big Sword to dodge the shot, immediately dropping to her knees when she hit the ground; Pike thrusting his weapon at her chest when she was in range. She rolled to her right and slashed upwards as Big Sword came upon her.

 

The rest of the Knights stood in the background, anxiously waiting their turn. They usually started off with two or three out of the six, only adding to the numbers if she so happened to defeat the ones she was fighting. She had only been able to win against them all once, a small victory in Avelyn’s favor. She was a decent swordswoman but her real strength was in using the Force and the Knights, they had been taught by Snoke and Kylo Ren.

 

She didn’t need to know how the two fought to know they were Master swordsmen.

 

Pike kicked her in the chest and she somersaulted backwards, attempting to gain her footing. Her jaw was itching as beads of sweat started to run down her face, her bangs plastered to her forehead. She grit her teeth and Force wrapped both Big Sword and Pike, the two adding to the blaster bolts that Small sword kept firing at her. Her ‘saber spun through the air as she successfully blocked the bolts before using the Force to freeze all six.

 

She knew all of them were narrowing their eyes behind their masks at her.

 

“We made a deal, Dark One. No Force use on all six of us at once.”

 

Avelyn straightened and extinguished her blade, clipping it into it’s proper place on her belt. “I know that. But your Master is returning.” She let all six go as Kylo Ren stormed through the doorway and surprise flashed through his eyes before disappearing. He was still sporting a bandage across his face and walked with a slight discomfort as he neared the Knights and her.

 

“Master. Forgot your mask?”

 

Ren glared at Big Sword before the Knight suddenly crashed to the ground, breathing deeply from behind his mask. Avelyn turned up her nose and walked toward her robe, scooping it up before pulling it on. A hard object bumped against her leg and she stuck her hand inside her pocket, feeling Ren’s eyes on her. She walked toward him and pulled out the cross-guarded hilt, switching it to her right hand. The dark haired male glanced at her before looking down at her taloned hand, jaw clenching as he saw his ‘saber. Avelyn chuckled. “Hux wanted me to give this to you.”

 

His eyes met hers.

 

“He didn’t want to die just yet.”

 

Kylo Ren took his lightsaber from her hand.

 

And Avelyn took her leave of the room.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for taking time out of your day to read this!


	7. Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I feel incredibly guilty for not uploading these past few weeks.

Avelyn was jolted out of her meditation by a sudden burst of power that had come from within Snoke’s chambers.

 

It had been a few weeks since the destruction of Starkiller; a few weeks since Kylo Ren had been training under Snoke once again. The Supreme Leader’s attention was solely on his apprentice most of the time and Avelyn couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealous rage toward Ren. She used that rage to cast her mind out into the galaxy, using the Force to intercept anything that could lead them to the last remaining Jedi. The girl, the scavenger, had been easy to locate and she had followed her Force presence beyond the Outer Rim before she had disappeared.

 

It told Avelyn two things.

 

The girl had found Luke Skywalker.

 

And he had mastered the art of hiding his Force presence and those around him.

 

She had howled in rage and stormed into the Knights training room, ‘saber already ignited. Not being one to take out her rage on objects that could not fight back, she, instead, went in search of those that could. The Knights of Ren had hungrily taken on her fight and all six had descended upon her at once. She had limped out of there, past Kylo Ren who had shown up at the end of the fight which she had shamefully lost, and she had felt his eyes on her. Snoke had sensed her discomfort and brought her before himself, sifting through her mind at what she had found.

 

He had not been pleased.

 

And she hated herself.

 

There was nothing for Avelyn to do after that, no Force object that reached out for her and no Force presence to seek. And so she was subjected to tasks she had once done when she was a new apprentice under Snoke. The Knights spared once a week with her and she sported new bruises and cuts every time she walked out of their floor. For a short while, she had subjected herself to perfecting forms and Jedi mind tricks, all of which she had basically mastered. So she took up meditating; something Jedi had done years ago and a thing that the Sith had once hated. The Jedi used it to clear their heads, to remove all emotions and attachments from themselves; to gain a peaceful and balanced mindset. The Sith had thought it was foolish as their quests lied in gaining power.

 

Avelyn used it to strengthen her position in the Force.

 

She had once meditated in both the Dark and the Light, though never fully going into depth with the latter. It was where she found a small patch of grey between the two sides, a perfect balancing point between the Light and the Dark, and it’s where she began her studies in the old ways of the Force. Nowadays, she could never get far into her studies as sudden bursts of the Force would shoot through the strands that tied themselves to her and severe her meditations.

 

Snoke and Kylo Ren were hard in their training and using the Force was something they did quite often. Avelyn was torn between cursing herself for becoming so intertwined in the Force and cursing her master and his apprentice for using it.

 

_My child. Attend to me._

__

Avelyn opened her eyes slowly as Snoke’s voice spoke through her mind and made her way out of her quarters; passing a small patrol squad of troopers as she made her way to her master. She cast out her mind and felt Kylo Ren still with him and was slightly confused as to why she was being summoned during one of their training sessions.

 

“You called, Supreme Leader.”

 

Snoke looked up from where Kylo Ren and Hux, who Avelyn was surprised to see, and the grey form looked toward her as she came to stand between the two men before him. She tilted her head as she waited for him to speak to her, slightly favoring her left side over her right. Snoke rested his hands on the armrest of his throne. “General Hux has informed me that we are ready to begin the training of new soldiers. But with the defection of FN-2817, there is a disturbance in the ranks.” Avelyn’s chin tilted upwards as Snoke leaned forward.” You know what that means, my child.”

 

“The general is afraid of more treason from his troopers.”

 

Hux clenched his jaw and his face scrunched in agitation. “Not afraid. We’re taking precautions.”

 

“Precautions because you are in fear of more defection, more traitors. Afraid your training methods aren’t as effective as you think?”

 

Avelyn was smirking behind her mask as she took in Hux’s posture. The general always had a problem with anyone who tried to surpass him as well as anyone who told him he made a mistake.

 

Kylo Ren was at least taking pleasure in watching the man squirm.

 

Hux turned slightly to her and Avelyn’s eyes bore into his as they twinkled with amusement. “Our training and upbringing of Stormtroopers has been a great success for years. FN-2817 was not ready to be in the field.”

 

Deep chocolate eyes narrowed. “But he was in the field. He was in combat. Are you saying that a mistake was made, General?”

 

Kylo Ren was _thoroughly_  enjoying this.

 

He cast a glance at Snoke. His master was sitting back in throne, hands folded underneath his chin as he watched the general and his other apprentice. Kylo brushed against the consciousness of the girl and found agitation, amusement and a hint of smugness radiating off of her. She made valid points, points that Hux knew were true, and Snoke was letting her take off on her own. It confused Kylo how Snoke treated Avelyn. It was a little unnerving how Snoke was around her, so different from how he treated anyone else.

 

Kylo shook his head as a pressure began to spread at the base of his skull and he immediately threw up multiple defenses.

 

 _Now_  was not the time for _that_.

 

Avelyn quickly looked behind her at Kylo as his energy shifted a little, barely noticeable. Her eyes narrowed slightly before turning to Snoke. “Supreme Leader, you called me here for a specific task, not to argue with General Hux.”

 

Snoke nodded. “You will be the one to look for defection, my star.”

 

Searching the Supreme Leader’s face, Avelyn found what she was looking for and her eyes slipped closed. She felt the familiar presence of Snoke in her mind, his darkness pushing behind hers and she faintly felt Kylo Ren in the background. Lowering her outer defenses, she cast the Force out into the galaxy and followed close behind the Dark wave. She looked into the minds of every trooper, every personnel, every officer and all those who worked under the sign of the First Order. Grasping onto Snoke’s power, she continued to search; dropping every person who even had the slightest thought of treason.

 

_The recruits too, little star._

 

Avelyn reached beyond Snoke and grasped onto Kylo Ren’s conscious. She felt his surprise through the connection she established before he relaxed, letting her use his energy like she was using Snoke’s. Searching through the recruits, her eyes flew open and the connection between her, Kylo and Snoke dropped.

 

She glared at Hux who was oblivious to what was happening.

 

“There’s Resistance spies in the recruits, General Hux.”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading \\(^-^)/


	8. Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I let my hatred for Hux ooze into this fanfic and I'm sorry for those of you who actually like him.

A burst of sudden anger sent Hux, Avelyn and Kylo Ren onto their knees.

 

Snoke pushed himself to the edge of his seat. “This is unacceptable, General. First, a stormtrooper defected. Second, we lost Starkiller,” his glare turned to Kylo, “ _and_  the scavenger. And now we have spies among us?” Avelyn clenched her fists, her taloned fingers digging into her palm as she did and took a glance at Kylo. Sweat was making his hair stick to his forehead as he clenched both his jaw and fists. It seemed he was having an internal conflict within himself and Avelyn, without thinking, calmly nudged inside his mind.

 

A presence was pounding around his conscious; a presence he was trying to block out of his thoughts. Avelyn gracefully fluttered though his mind until Kylo’s eyes snapped up to meet hers. His breathing picked up as she continued to the source of the presence, gently moving between his defenses and not bothering with his memories and thoughts.

 

_What are you doing!?_

_‘Something is wrong with you and it’s in that presence’_

_Get out._

_‘If Snoke finds out, none of this will end well.’_

__

Kylo growled in his head as she found multiple strands of blue from a Force presence entangled with his red ones, crisscrossing throughout his mind. They were of a Light user and they were buried very deep into his conscious, deeper than anything Avelyn had seen. She quickly followed the strands as the presence of Snoke grew bigger in both her and Kylo’s minds.

 

_Get out!_

 

She stopped suddenly when she came to the end of the connection.

 

She knew this presence.

 

_The girl. The scavenger._

_Rey._

__

A blow sent her reeling back into her own mind as Snoke’s power danced dangerously in her mind and in the mind of the man next to her. “General Hux, retrieve the spies. I have to deal with my apprentices.” Resounding footsteps told of the departure of Hux as the two apprentices shared glances at each other, Kylo’s eyes boring into hers with rage and desperation.

 

He had a Force bond with the scavenger.

 

Avelyn knew what had happened between them; how the girl had used the Force and defended herself against Kylo without any training. She had left her imprint on him and Avelyn was sure he had left one on her. Force bonds were a rare thing as no Force user went that far into someone’s conscious. But the two of them had and now it created an almost sacred thing; something that needed to go though. It was the Force bond that Avelyn had felt so many times in the past few weeks in little snippets here and there but felt nonetheless.

 

Avelyn was actually concerned for Kylo as Snoke looked at the two of them.

 

“Kylo Ren, Master of the Knights, my greatest apprentice; you have been hiding things from me the past few weeks.”

 

Kylo swallowed hard and kept his head bowed down low; Avelyn mirroring the stance beside him. “Supreme Leader, I thought I could fight against it-”

 

A cry tore itself from Avelyn’s throat as she dropped from one knee to both, fingers digging into the stone step before her. The sound of metal against stone reached Kylo’s ears as her metal talons _dug_  themselves into the stone; leaving behind great indentations. She was breathing heavily as Snoke drew away from her mind, her hair sticking to her damp neck and forehead. Slowly but surely, Avelyn got up on one knee again while Snoke carefully evaluated what she had seen.

 

“A Force bond with the scavenger? Kylo Ren, letting your compassion for her cloud your judgment before was one thing. But this is unacceptable.”

 

Snoke got up from his throne and stood to his full height of seven feet. “It seems another reminder is in order.” The deformed faced humanoid slowly walked down the steps to rest long gray fingers on Kylo’s head. “We will wipe this bond from you.”

 

“Supreme Leader, wait.”

 

Avelyn swallowed thickly as Snoke turned to look at her, his fingers still threaded in Kylo’s hair. The man was breathing heavily and he was trying very hard not to resist what had been about to come. “What, my little star?” She squeezed her eyes shut, her head pounding from the abuse it had suffered from Snoke and her mask getting more uncomfortable as sweat built up inside. “You can’t break a Force bond. It buries deep into the conscious of one another. To break it, to severe it with sheer force, would cause damage.” She opened her eyes and looked up into Snoke’s face. “It could kill them both.”

 

She was stepping over a line, an invincible boundary line that should never be crossed but she had to. That line was now contaminated with her presence and she was greatly concerned with what would happen to both her and Kylo Ren.

 

“Is there another way to get rid of this?”

 

She clenched her teeth. “There’s a theory, a method, but it has never been done before.”

 

Snoke finally removed his fingers from the black locks of Kylo Ren and moved toward Avelyn. “What is this method?” She glanced at Kylo as Snoke’s hand came dangerously close to her head. His head was still bowed but he was now looking at her instead of the ground. Too many emotions were flashing in his eyes and Avelyn could not decipher them all with Snoke so near. “If another Force user were to take control of the bond, taint it with their own conscious, they could remove the strands of one user and replace them with their own. But it would require time, effort and a mind that would be willing to take the place of the other one.” She gave him the basics, it was too complex to walk Snoke through the whole entire process and his impatience was increasing by the second.

 

Grey fingers came into her vision and grasped the edge of her mask, forcing her head up. She looked into the never ending black eyes of her master and suppressed a shudder that threatened to take over her body. “Are you volunteering, my little star? Are you willing to be bonded with Kylo Ren?”

 

Avelyn clenched her jaw once more. “If you command it, Supreme Leader.”

 

Snoke slowly nodded and rested his left hand on her head. “I do command it.” He turned to the silent man next to them. “Kylo Ren has been troubled as of late and I will not let a scavenger get in the way of his training.” Both Kylo Ren and Avelyn waited as Snoke removed his hand from the brunette’s head and made his way up to his throne. Once he settled back into it, he looked over the two of them. “Go. This must be done as soon as possible. The Resistance will not wait long before moving their forces.”

 

The two apprentices slowly got to their feet and bowed lowly before taking their leave.


	9. Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The chapters are looking weird for some reason, hm. Whatever.

Avelyn wearily watched Kylo Ren behind her as they left Snoke’s chambers. So many emotions were rolling off of him in waves and she narrowed her eyes at him. When they were far enough away from the throne room, Ren started to walk faster towards her and Avelyn stiffened. His gloved hand shot out and grabbed her arm, pulling her into a different hallway before slamming her into the wall. Hovering over her, he propped his left forearm above her and stared down. His eyes glared at her with rage and she met them with the same intensity.

 

“What the _hell_ was that?”

 

She stuck her chin out, her mask glistening in the dim light. “Me saving your ass.”

 

“I didn’t ask for it.”

 

And Kylo Ren saw a transition.

 

He watched as the brunette before him completely wash her face of all emotions and lose that brightening spark of rage in her eyes. Her body relaxed but was still somehow tense as she continued to stare at him. Looking at her eyes, he saw them flickering between his and felt a gentle probing in his mind. Avelyn took a deep breath, the noise sounding gravelly through her mask, as she held his gaze. “No. No, you didn’t ask for it. But we both know how Snoke can be. You have a Force bond with a _scavenger_. A Force sensitive scavenger but a _scavenger_  nonetheless. She’s the enemy and Snoke would have destroyed that bond in an instant.” She shook her head, her hair moving with the movement before settling down like a dark halo around her face. “I’m surprised he didn’t want to investigate that bond further but his patience is running thin at the moment.” Kylo saw a bit of spark return to her eyes. “I did not lie when I stated you both could die if he tried to severe it right then and there. And I am sure in my abilities that I can disconnect the bond from her. But it requires you to let me in and you to bond with me.”

 

She tilted her head to the left side and a gleam replaced the spark in her eyes. “Can you do that, Kylo Ren?”

 

He clenched his jaw in response. It must have looked ridiculous to personnel who dared looked down the hallway at them. Seeing Kylo Ren, the ruthless head of the First Order, leaning low over the small figure in black - _I’m a monster to them, Ren_  - would have raised some eyebrows but the two apprentices were beyond that. Avelyn raised a hand and pushed against his chest, causing him to take a step back to retain his balance. The Force crackled between the two as she took her hand back and removed herself from the wall.

 

“Let’s get this over with, Ren.”

 

Moving to the side, Kylo let her step forward and followed her as she left the hall. They were going a way he was a little unfamiliar with but she seemed to know exactly where they were going. He eyed her as they walked.

 

She walked with a limp, no doubt an injury that one of his Knights had dealt in one of their spar sessions. Her robe dragged along the ground and he slowed his walk after almost stepping on it several times. Her steps were barely audible while his made dull thuds on the stone floor and echoed off of the stone walls. They were now in an older part of the Snoke’s domain, a part Ren never had much business in. His quarters were in a newer part as were the Knights quarters.

 

It explained why Kylo had never encountered her when he made quick stops to see Snoke.

 

Kylo almost bumped into Avelyn as she stopped outside of a door and entered a code into the keypad; the door whooshing open with a slight breeze. She looked at him and nodded her head before walking in as he followed close behind.

 

The door closed behind them and Kylo stopped by a small table with two chairs that sat in the middle of the room; glancing around. A bed alcove was across from him and the door to the ‘fresher was on his left. To his right, was a small desk and chair with a closed closet two feet away from it. It was a bland place, not much better than his, but he could tell from the aura of the room that this was where Avelyn was the most relaxed and comfortable. It was her safe haven away from Snoke (apart from her mind), and the Knights; her sanctuary where she’d shamefully lick her wounds, both mental and physical, away from prying eyes.

 

It was here she had brought him for the task Snoke had commanded.

 

His attention shifted onto her as she let her robe flow off her shoulders and arms, catching it before it hit the floor. Her pants fit tight against her legs and her shirt was a little loose fitting. He studied her, something stirring slightly in his chest. She unclipped her lightsaber from her belt and, as she threw her robe on the desk, he finally looked away; wishing he had his helmet. With it on, no one could read the emotions on his face and he could look around freely without anyone noticing.

 

“Ren.”

 

He looked in the direction of the voice and found her sitting on the floor in a meditaion stance before a mat in the corner, her ‘saber next to her. She tilted her head to look at him, her eyes searching his face before nodding toward the mat. “It’d be easier and safer on the floor. I don’t know what will happen.” She grit her jaw as if it pained her to say the last bit to him.

 

He understood though.

 

Slowly making his way over to her, he sat on the mat and faced her; their knees almost touching. Her eyes slowly traveled over his face, lingering on his scar. It was quite impressive now. Instead of a sickening, inflamed red, it was now a palish silver that cut his face in two. It would flare in pain every time he felt Rey in the back of conscious and he was tempted to go to the med bay to get it fully healed; to get rid of the burning feeling that always came. But he never did.

 

He failed that night and he would carry it like he carried all of his mistakes and failures.

 

Avelyn’s eyes slowly traveled up the scar; starting from the right side of his chin to the left side of his forehead. He watched her as she did and something flickered in her eyes before his attention was brought to the movement of her hands. She reached up behind her head and he heard something unsnap, followed by a hissing noise. His eyes snapped down to her mask as it moved away from her face to reveal a small nose, pale lips and a sharp chin. A small silver scar cut her upper lip in two on the right side; the skin around it puckering slightly. It hardly stood out from her pale skin but it was there.

 

Avelyn took a deep breath and Ren’s eyes snapped to hers. She carefully pulled off her talons, laying the metal pieces on the floor beside her ‘saber before she lifted both her hands to his head. His eyes hardened and she leaned slightly forward.

 

“Relax.”

 

Closing her eyes, she felt for his mind and plunged inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a disclaimer for the last chapter: the process of reforming the bond, as far as I know of, is my own idea. It probably can't be done in the Star Wars universe but hey, this is just a fanfiction.


	10. Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for the comments.  
> They're keeping me from getting writer's block.

_Avelyn fluttered through Kylo Ren’s mind, following the pull to the bond. Memories and thoughts floated around her and she tried not to focus on them. It was very tempting to dig through his mind and find where he was vulnerable but she could feel the imprint that Snoke and the scavenger had left on him; the pain that occupied the spaces they had savagely torn through. She knew how it felt; had suffered from the pain of Snoke for years. So she gently went through his mind, years of practice paying off as she felt Ren relax deep within his core._

_Reaching out with the Force, she found the presence she had discovered before and swirled darkly around it. The blue strands tangled deep within the red strands of Ren’s conscious and Avelyn pulled all her power together before following the strands back to Rey. Blue entangled over red as she continued in her quest to the conscious of the scavenger. She was stopped short by a fortress of walls and clouded darkly around them. Feeling along the defenses, she found the tiniest crack in them and squeezed inside. Avelyn kept her presence to a minimum as she now followed the red strands to the core of the girl._

_Loneliness and pain occupied most of her mind with the burning feelings of happiness and warmth. Avelyn hissed lowly as the Light inside of the scavenger shown brightly, too bright for one of the Dark. She found the end of the red strands and carefully fitted herself between the ends of the strands and the conscious of Rey. Pouring her own power into the threads, she felt them come undone and, instead, reach out for her own mind. The red strands mixed in with the black ones of her own and rooted themselves in Avelyn’s conscious that were not cut off by walls._

_In her own mind, she lowered defenses here and there, allowing Ren to anchor himself for the forming bond between them. She felt him in her own mind as she continued to work in Rey’s. Pain suddenly exploded in the Force and she almost lashed out at Ren before realizing it wasn’t him. Concern and confusion floated in her mind from him as Avelyn protected herself from the attacks of Rey. She raised her defenses entirely as the scavenger ferociously circled her._

__

What are you doing!?

__

_Force, why was everyone questioning her? _‘__ Severing the bond. _ _’__

__

_Avelyn drew her power to the mind of the scavenger and let out a wave of vicious darkness. She heard the pained screams of Rey in her mind and knew she was making them in reality as well. As Rey was preoccupied with the pain, Avelyn quickly cut off the rest of Ren’s strands and untangled them from the mess of blue. She pulled them all to herself and retreated from the scavenger’s mind as she was just coming out of the shock._

_Rey howled in frustration and lashed out violently after her._

_Avelyn screamed in pain._

_She grounded herself before Ren’s mind, pulling his threads through their one sided bond as Rey came barreling around her remaining strands. Avelyn felt Ren raise his defenses high and she drew the Force around her as well as borrowed power from Ren. Rey came crashing into her but was thankfully stopped by the defenses Avelyn threw up to protect herself and Ren. Following the blue strands once again through Ren’s mind, Avelyn stuck her black strands in the places where Rey was present. The darkness overpowered the light in his mind as the blue threads let go and were flung out. Avelyn swarmed herself like a blanket across Ren’s mind as the blue strands detached and skittered back to Rey. She came forward as the scavenger prepared for another attack._

__

__‘__ It’s done with, scavenger. Leave. _ _’__

__

You can’t just destroy a bond.

__

_Avelyn’s power flared violently. _‘__ You underestimate the power of the Dark Side. It’s been done. Leave. _ _’__

__

I’ll kill you **both**.

__

__‘__ And we shall be waiting. _ _’__

__

_Rey followed her blue strands back to her mind and Avelyn stayed within Ren’s until there was nothing left of the scavenger. She couldn’t feel the presence of the Light being and it was only then that she withdrew into her own mind._

__

__\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------_ _

__

Avelyn’s eyes flew open and she gasped for air as she withdrew from Ren’s mind. She was barely aware that he had her wrists in his hands, his thumbs pressing into her pulse as he watched her. His feelings and thoughts were still walled up in his mind as he hadn’t let down his defenses and her head was pounding from Rey attacking her and what she had just done; blood roaring in her ears.

 

His eyes searched her face as she looked at him with distant eyes. Sweat dripped down her temples, plastering her hair to her face, and her lips were now flushed a deep, dark red. Her pulse was rapid where his thumbs were pressed lightly to her wrists. When she was in the mind of Rey, - _Force, he felt the pain from the two females_ \- her hands had started to shake from where they lightly rested against his temples. Almost out of instinct, he had grasped them to keep them steady; surprising himself as he felt the heat of her skin though his gloves.

 

Her vision slowly came back into focus as his eyes held hers. Taking a shuddering breath, she reached for his face again. “I have to know if I did it right.” He nodded and she slipped back into the Force.

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------

__

_Black and red strands now entangled themselves deeply together and the Force crackled throughout the newly formed bond. She could feel Ren in her mind as he cautiously searched through it and she let him, as her walls of privacy were grounded deep into her mind._

_Following the bond, she pushed gently against his own defenses and he lifted them as she discretely slithered through. She didn’t know where her strands had planted themselves and she followed them all. One in particular grabbed her attention and she followed it closely, cautiously making her way deeper into Ren’s mind. It was deep inside his conscious that Avelyn found something that puzzled her as well as intrigued her._

_Kylo Ren had a small ball of Light inside of him still._

__

_Avelyn knew of what had transpired on Starkiller, how he had killed his father in hopes of making himself stronger in the Dark side; that he may be rid of the Light inside of him. But as Avelyn circled around the Light, it seemed it did not work. The deed only made the Light fade until it was barely there but it was **still** present. While Rey’s Light was blinding, his was warm; like a blanket a mother would wrap her child in. Something stirred deep inside of Avelyn and she built up a fortress around the Light, hiding it from prying eyes. If Snoke ever found it or if he was biding his time, he would not find it now._

__

_At least she hoped not._

_She slowly withdrew from his mind and he from hers as they raised up their defenses again. The bond went dark but still crackled and hummed from their power mingling together._

__

__\--------------------------------------------_ _

__

Once more, Avelyn came out of the Force and gently tugged her hands away from Ren’s. He let go and she folded them on her lap before staring him in the eye, letting out a chuckle weakly as she did.

 

“I did it.”

 

And blackness consumed her in an instant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh the joys of Force bonds XD  
> I felt like I made Rey kinda bitchy, which was not my intention, but if someone were in my mind doing crap, I'd be bitchy too.


	11. Ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, I'm so sorry I haven't updated. It's been hectic the past couple of weeks and I'm starting my college course and yeah, it's been busy. But now I present to you another chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I don't remember if I apologized for this before but I have noticed that the text looks weird with words being cut off in the middle and continuing on the next line. I have tried to fix it but alas, I have done all I can think of. You have any tips, I would appreciate them greatly.

_The Force can be like a stream._

_It can be calming and run smoothly, bending only when an obstacle gets in the way. Like water running over a river stone, it can smooth the edges of a person; making them become something completely different. It can sing a calming song like a mother’s lullaby to her child, a protector in the darkest of nights._

_The Force can also be a nightmare._

_It can be harsh and unforgiving, as dangerous as a sandstorm on Tatooine or Jakku. Tearing down mental walls like a tornado through a forest; it can cut a person in two and leave them with nothing but all of the horrible things they have done. Like a monster in a child’s nightmare, it can be a terrible and fearsome thing to behold._

_Such is the way of the Light and the Dark side of the Force._

_But sometimes you can find the right balance; the tightrope that stretches in between the two sides. It is a grey, shady area and only few have walked that path; few who dared to follow it. There is no right and there is no wrong in the Grey side._

_All this she has seen._

_All this she knows._

__

\---------------------------------------------------  
  
Everything was starting to come back to Avelyn.

 

The pain in her head was the first to hit her.

 

It pounded into the deepest corners of her mind and she hissed into the darkness. Slowly but surely, her senses started to come back. She heard the beating of a heartbeat; strong, steady and oddly comforting. Warmth was wrapped around her and so was a smell of a deep musky yet sweet scent. As she tried to open her eyes, the heartbeat started to beat faster and it confused Avelyn as to why. She remembered Snoke’s chambers, detaching the bond between Ren and the scavenger and finding the ball of Light deep within his mind. But it was all dark after that. Annoyance crept up her spine and she tried once again to open up her eyes.

 

The light slowly brightened as they adjusted to the room.

 

She was still in her quarters and nothing looked different, nothing had changed. Her bed remained untouched and the chairs at the table were still pushed in all the way. But it felt like something was wrong and it shouldn’t have; not in her sanctuary.

 

The heartbeat in her ear made her glance down at herself.

 

Two muscular arms were wrapped around her stomach, cocooning her against a solid chest. The grip was tight but not in a manner that immediately alarmed her. It was a hesitant grip, as if it was afraid to let go in case she hurt herself. Avelyn furrowed her brow and frowned while trailing up the arms. The fabric looked liked it overlapped, like ruffles going up the arm, and it took a few minutes for her to remember where she had seen the arms before. It slowly dawned on her who wore that shirt, whose arms she was in. Glaring out of the corner of her eye at the blackness behind her, she gathered the Force in her hand before Force pushing the man behind her.

 

His back hit the wall with a loud thud.

 

And she hit the floor with a smack.

 

Groaning, she slowly sat up and glared at the man who was voicing his own groans as he rubbed his head. Pain pounded through her mind and her back throbbed faintly as he lifted his eyes to glare back. “A simple acknowledgment of thanks would have sufficed.” Avelyn huffed as she continued to glare. “How about an explanation instead?” She crossed her legs and hung her head, the pounding in her head getting worse. “How about you tell me why the hell you were holding me?”

 

Ren took in a sharp breath and held it for a few minutes as he stared. He could faintly feel the pain in her head though their new bond; knew how badly it hurt. Her hair hid her face from view but her hands were clenched, something she was probably not aware of. Ren let out his breath and slowly stood up, his muscles protesting from being on the floor too long. He could still feel her weight in his arms; feel her warmth through his clothing.

 

It would haunt him till the day he died.

 

He slowly walked toward her before crouching down. “You blacked out. Probably because you exhausted yourself from using so much of your energy. But you know this already.”

 

A quick nod confirmed it.

 

He nodded slowly and remained crouched beside her. “Hasn’t Snoke ever taught you how much energy you should actually use through the Force?” She lifted her head up and her eyes flashed. “Yes, he has. But what I do is different, it requires more energy than normal. He knows this.” His eyes searched hers until he stood up and towered over her.

 

It made her a little uneasy that she passed out in front of another person, much less Kylo Ren. She didn’t even sleep if someone was around, staying awake for days on end when a mission took a week to finish. But she had blacked out and Ren, of all people, had caught her and had _held_  her. He could have lain her on the floor and kept his distance while watching her but he had _comforted_ her until she awoke. She wasn’t apologetic for Force pushing him back into the wall. It had startled her to be that _close_ to someone and not get hurt; to not have some wound inflicted upon her that would either take days to heal or a few hours with enough bacta smeared on it. She wasn’t used to contact with species unless she was hurting them and to have some without pain _scared _her__.

 

She swallowed thickly as she felt Ren brush against her walls through their bond, almost as if he was testing the waters. “We should rest before going back to Snoke.” She looked up in time to see him nod in response. Grabbing her lightsaber and talons off the floor, she narrowed her eyes at the gloved hand that suddenly appeared in front of her. She looked up into Ren’s face and he just stared at her; his face wiped of emotions. Seconds went by before she finally grasped his hand and he carefully pulled her up, pain flaring through her mind before returning to a dull throbbing. She let go and he quickly took his hand back, as if he burned himself.

 

The gesture did not go unnoticed by her.

 

Walking toward her desk, Avelyn placed her ‘saber and talons on top of her robe. She glanced behind her at Ren and, with a flick of her wrist, opened the door to her quarters. “Rest, Ren. Even your mind isn’t ready for Snoke to inspect it.” He seemed to have another internal conflict within himself before he bowed to her and disappeared from the room; robes fluttering behind him. She continued to stare where she had last seen his black robe before angrily flicking her arm out at the door. It closed and she clenched her fists, the Force crackling in the small space.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My friend literally fangirled when she edited this chapter and she has dubbed this ship as 'Avelo'.  
> We welcome you to it.


	12. Eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Avelo has taken over my life like I can't seem to write anything else.

Avelyn took a few deep breaths before slowly unclenching her hand.

 

The Force still crackled slightly in the small space, swarming around her as she made her way over to her meditation mat. Her mask continued to lay on the floor and she scooped it up, rubbing her thumb over a single silver bolt. Grabbing the edge of her sleeve, she pulled it up over the heel of her hand and wiped down the front of the mask as she walked back over to her desk. She opened the top drawer and took out a cloth, cleaning away the perspiration that had built up on the inside; throwing the cloth back in the drawer when she was done. Setting the mask down next to her ‘saber and talons, she undid her belt before shrugging out of her shirt and kicking off her boots. Tugging off her pants, she grabbed a tank top and slid it on before sitting on her bed.

 

Slowly sinking into a meditation, she reached out through the Force; twitching slightly when pain flared through her mind. She made sure all was in order, that everything was at least fine before she fell into a slumber.

 

Faintly, she felt the presence of Hux and Captain Phasma in the hangar bay; no doubt to oversee the transportation of the Resistance spies to the holding cells in Snoke’s domain. They would wait there until he deemed it time to interrogate them, something he usually left for Kylo Ren to complete.

 

At the thought of his name, Avelyn drifted over to the bond and did nothing but feel it hum. He was still awake and his defenses were still as high as the sky but she knew he acknowledged her, maybe even welcomed her. With a sigh, she withdrew from the Force and proceeded to get under her blanket; pulling it up under her chin before positioning into a fetal position. She wrapped her arms around herself and gave into sleep when it came calling.

 

\------------------------------------------------------  
  
 _”Momma! Daddy!”_

_Bits and pieces of a memory flashed along her vision, never enough to know the full picture but just enough to piece together what was happening._

_Avelyn saw smoke and fire. She was no longer a twenty year old. Instead, she was five and her parents were nowhere in sight._

_She screamed for them._

_Explosions sounded causing big, fat salty tears to slide down her chubby cheeks as she continued to scream for her parents._

_There they were! They were right there!_

_A green lightsaber cut through her vision, hot and bright._

_Where were her parents? They were just there!_

_A voice sounded next to her in her ear; a long fingered, gray hand caressing her brown locks._

_“It’s alright, my little star. The Republic will pay for the deaths of your parents.”_

 

\------------------------------------------------------

Brown eyes opened as Avelyn’s body locked up on it’s own accord, successfully pulling her out of her nightmarish slumber.

 

She breathed deeply, willing her body to _calm the kriffing hell down_  before making an attempt to sit up in bed. The sheets were twisted this way and that and it was suffocating her. She peeled them off of her sweaty body, pushing her hair away from her skin where it stuck like wet paper. Her heart was beating rapidly against her ribs, anxiety clawing it’s way up her throat as her lungs begged for air from inside her tight chest. Looking around the barely lit room, her eyes searched for phantom people from her nightmares; ghosts from the memories she barely remembered all together.

 

And then she felt him.

 

Along the edges of her conscious, a presence gently reached out and caressed her mind once before pulling back. Without thinking, she frantically reached out and latched onto them; lowering her defenses in the mean time. She would kick her ass in the morning for showing such weakness but she could not let go of the presence of Kylo Ren through their bond. He slowly came forward again and swarmed around her part of the bond, sending reassurance through it as she clung to him. For just one time, - _Force, didn’t she deserve just one night?_  - she allowed herself to _savor_ the feeling of a non painful touch; to enjoy the feeling of just being _caressed_.

__

Kylo Ren crept forward more, easing into her mind cautiously and Avelyn let him. He soothed the nightmares away from her thoughts, soothed the burning _hatred_  she had for the Resistance and the Republic and cast the questions of _why_  out of her headspace. And she let him. Avelyn let this man, this _monster like herself_ take on the appearance of a human and allowed him into her head. She in returned traveled through his mind, brushing aside his curiosity and uneasiness as she reached the fortress she built deep inside his mind. Slipping inside, she wrapped herself around his little ball of Light and let the warmth comfort her.

 

They weren’t supposed to be like this with each other. The two weren’t supposed to be formal, weren’t supposed to be this _willing_ to let the other inside their mind. She had dreamt that same nightmare for years, had dealt with it all on her own but now this bond was here and it just made everything seem like it was going to be okay.

 

That she didn’t have to deal with it on her own anymore.

__

Dark chocolate brown eyes closed as her body fell back into the bed.

 

_Avelyn._

_‘Ren.’_

_Are you okay?_

_‘Yes.’_

__

Avelyn turned onto her right side to stare at the small lights the glowed at the bottom of the walls. She untangled herself from the ball of Light and left it, shoving him away as he tried to see what she had done. Traveling back into her own mind, she felt Kylo Ren still wrapped around her in their bond, very faint, and she didn’t have the strength to shove him out just yet. She let herself savor the bond a few minutes more before she nudged him away and he went willingly, the two of them raising their defenses once more though not as high as before. They could still feel the other one in the background but neither made an actual attempt to remove themselves completely.

 

This bond was going to be the downfall of one of them and Avelyn knew it.

 

She stayed awake until the ceiling lights came on, signaling that the day was supposed to start. Quickly using the ‘fresher and pulling on some new clothing and her boots, she grasped her mask in both hands before fitting onto her face; the familiar hissing and snapping noises bringing an odd comfort to her mind as she slid on her talons. She grabbed her lightsaber and stuck it on her belt before a dark cloud wrapped itself around her mind, the bond sparking and crackling with the intensity of the power the presence held.

 

_My child. Attend to me._

__

Avelyn pulled her hood low over her face as she hardened herself, just like she did every morning, and went to attend her Master.


	13. Twelve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I. Am. So. So. Sorry.  
> I realize I haven't updated in a month and I feel horrible.  
> College and depression are not being very nice to me and I feel so bad for leaving you guys hanging.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I THINK I HAVE FIXED THE WORDS BEING CUT OFF PROBLEM  
> OH HALLELUJAH

Kylo Ren had been awake since the early hours of the morning and was running mainly on the need for praise from his Master and java.

 

He had been unable to get back to sleep after being woken up by Avelyn sending frantic signals for help. It startled him a little bit though it had happened before when the bond had been with Rey. He had visited her dreams and she had visited his; much to the annoyance of them both. To have Avelyn, who was so strong and fearless, send him panicked calls for help surprised him until he realized that _she had no idea she was sending them_. Her mind was in survival mode as she dreamed and had subconsciously sent for aid.

He had waited until she woke up by her own before reaching out and it scared him when she _grabbed_  his presence and clung to him. The hatred for the Resistance and the Republic and _herself_  seeped into the bond and he had soothed the pain she felt; soothed her mind as she allowed herself to actually be _human_.

 

The two of them were _monsters_  - _Remember, Ben: monsters have mothers too _.__ \- and yet they allowed themselves to be human; to actually feel something _besides_  pain.

 

Kylo Ren hadn’t slept since they untangled themselves from each other and went back into their separate minds. He could still feel her deep in his mind, somewhere apparently only she knew where to go and he couldn’t find. Whatever was hidden deep inside his conscious, it gave her some kind of comfort and he could live with not knowing. As long as Snoke made no move to rip it out of his head, no order for her to show them both, he could live with not knowing.

 

He could live without that kind of pain.

 

Kylo Ren was currently fixing his new helmet, tweaking it to his liking. It had been a work in progress over the last several weeks and he was glad that it was complete. He had thought about contacting one of First Order merchants who help supply the Stormtroopers with their armor and telling them to find one similar to the one he had lost. But he had built his last helmet by hand, his own hands, and only he knew how to replicate it.

 

As he stared into the visor, the feeling of relief washed over him.

 

Relief that he could once again become the faceless commander of the First Order.

 

He fitted it over his head and sighed with content as the mouth piece slid back into place, a hiss signaling that all was well. Kylo stood and grabbed his cowl, laying it over the helmet before wrapping the rest around his neck; his power radiating throughout his quarters.

 

_Kylo Ren, I request your presence._

 

Kylo immediately moved to obey his master, there was never a time he didn’t. As he walked through the halls, he felt a slight tingle in the bond; a small disturbance. He reached along it to Avelyn’s mind and felt her walls sky high, felt the slight pain that trickled through the bond. Snoke’s presence oozed out of small cracks within her walls and Kylo knew that their Master was inspecting her work; inspecting the newly formed bond. And she was doing what every Dark Force user did.

 

She was keeping the pain to herself, grasping onto the power of the Dark Side.

 

Kylo quickly made his way to Snoke’s chamber, surprising himself as he acknowledged the hope of focusing Snoke’s attention on himself; relieving Avelyn of the pain she was having evoked on her. He was nervous about these feelings, anxious as to what Snoke would do if he knew about them. But it was better than having these feelings with Rey.

 

Snoke would rather have him dead than having feelings for a scavenger.

 

As he neared Snoke’s chamber, he paused and breathed deeply; ridding his mind of thoughts before moving again. He prepared himself before throwing open the doors; the dark presences of Avelyn and Snoke coiling together though the air and wrapping themselves around Kylo. Snoke lifted his head up from the figure on the floor as Kylo walked forward; Avelyn’s head turning slightly to look at him. He came before his master and gracefully knelt on the floor next to her and watched as she clenched her fist as Snoke laid a hand upon her head. Her eyes were drawn to his mask as she glanced over it before returning her stare to the floor and screwing them shut as Snoke dove into her mind again.

 

“Open the connection, my little star.”

 

Avelyn swallowed hard and let her defenses tumble as Ren’s presence swept into her mind; Snoke’s swirling around both of them. Ren’s breathing picked up as both Snoke and the pain from Avelyn’s mind traveled to his and he clenched his own fist tightly at the sensations. He heard the brunette take deep breaths as Snoke withdrew from both of their minds and she loosened her fists; relaxing only very little. Her head turned to look at him as their minds clashed in the connection, swirling ferociously around the other. The rustling of robes as Snoke sat on his throne again brought them back to the outside world as both of them glanced up at the same time.

 

“Rise.”

 

Kylo stood with ease, his knees cracking as he did, but Avelyn was a tad slower; her hands shaking as she stood. The two apprentices waited for Snoke to speak; to command them on what to do next. The grey humanoid watched his two apprentices; focusing mainly on Avelyn’s eyes as they were the only thing he could read without going into their minds again.

 

“General Hux and Captain Phasma have located the Resistance spies in the ranks. They are bringing them here immediately.” He leaned forward. “You, my two apprentices, will question them and find out what they know about us; what they know about the Resistance base.” He leaned back against his throne again. “We have waited too long and now we must attack. Come to me after you find what you’re looking for.”

 

Avelyn and Kylo Ren bowed respectfully to him before walking away; Avelyn swaying slightly as Ren stayed close beside her.

 

Snoke narrowed his eyes at the two retreating forms. The bond was a beautiful and rare thing; not like anything he had seen before. But he saw the feelings that flowed through it; the memories of how it came to be. Snoke folded his hands and rested his chin on them.

 

This bond could be the undoing of the First Order.


	14. Thirteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I literally researched all I could on the Knights of Ren and now they feel like my children.

Kylo Ren watched Avelyn closely as they walked down the hall away from Snoke.

 

She swayed slightly and he stuck out his hand quickly before drawing it back in a tight fist. Avelyn was walking slower than usual, a slight shake in her step. Her previous leg wound from the Knights had healed a little more over the night, hardly causing her any problems but it was the heart pounding pain in her head that was messing her up.

 

Ren continued to watch her closely and finally reached out to grab her as she stumbled. Her whole body tensed up, the Force crackling around her, and Ren held onto her arms in a loose fitting grasp. Her eyes never left his chest as emotions flashed violently in them and he finally removed his hold when she straightened up. They stood in silence for a few moments before Avelyn let out a slow breath and continued making her way to the hangar bay.

 

Kylo Ren followed still; just not as close as before.

 

“Stop glaring, Ren.”

 

He snorted. “I’m not. I’m merely observing.” Avelyn huffed; the noise coming out like a rancor grunt due to her mask. “I don’t need you observing. You’ve done enough of that the past 24 hours, hm?” Ren’s eyes narrowed behind his helmet as she turned to look at him; her eyes flashing as she gazed into his visor. “This bond is dangerous, Ren. It’s making us both act differently and that will not end well with the Supreme Leader.” Avelyn looked away. “And that won’t end well for the both of us.”

 

Kylo Ren knew she was right but he was surprised that she admitted that she too was behaving differently; even if she didn’t say it just like that. She looked back up at him, her reflection looking back at her but she could feel his eyes on her. “Keep the difference that is in your mind hidden from view.” Ren continued to look down at her as she turned her head to the side. A pinprick of the Force formed at the base of his skull as she used it to look for something, a slight thrum sounding throughout his mind; his hand twitching as he fought the urge to reach out and wrap his own consciousness around her power .

 

She was so powerful and so equally balanced in the Dark Side that this was tempting to him. He wanted to wrap himself up in her presence, to feel her power draw and keep him in the Dark side; to get rid of the slight burst of the Light side calling to him still. It had been this way since they had first met in Snoke’s chamber but now it was even harder with this newly formed bond. When it was with Rey, it enraged him to feel her Light as it tried to pull him back as he fought hard to stay in the Dark side of the Force. But now that the bond was made new, it was so much easier to stay and bask in the presence of Avelyn.

 

A tiny voice in the back of his mind told him it wasn’t right how much he grasped onto her.

 

Avelyn felt Ren along the defenses of her mind, just a tiny brush, as she reached out to find where the prisoners were. She narrowed her eyes slightly as she couldn’t feel them on base before reaching out into the galaxy. Annoyance twitched in her mind as the presence of them was still ways off from Snoke’s planet; a frown making it’s way onto her face beneath her mask. “Hux seems to be taking his time with getting the spies here.” Ren lifted his chin before Avelyn felt his own presence grow and his own annoyance twisting and wrapping itself along her’s as they let their emotions entangle for a second.

 

Huffing once again, Avelyn started making her way to the second floor. The heavy thuds of boots behind her made mention that the Master of the Knights of Ren was still following and that thrilled her, much to her annoyance. But she had wanted to fight him, wanted him to be there in the same room with his Knights and fight all of them. The Knights set up rules, too many in her tastes, but with Ren there those rules would not remain; only the original ones for a duel would hold power. She was itching to use her full potential, the Force and her swordsmanship skills, and she could do that with Ren using his powers and ‘saber.

 

She made her way up the stairs and stepped into the training room, the six black figures turning as they felt her and their Master. Ren made his way to stand behind her as she slid off her cloak and threw it to the side; unclipping her lightsaber. The Knights grabbed their weapons and Pike twirled his vibro-pike as the two swordsman did they same. “Another match already, Dark One?” Avelyn ignited her ‘saber and gave it a twirl of it’s own.

 

“All of you.”

 

And she used her ‘saber to point to Ren.

 

“And him.”

 

Ren lifted his chin at her request before reaching up and removing his hood. Avelyn looked behind her as he ignited his own ‘saber and then looked back at the Knights. “Your rules don’t apply in this fight.” Snarls filled the air as the Knights glared at her but agreed to the terms; Ren a silent observer for the time being. Avelyn twirled her ‘saber once more before Pike and Little Sword rushed at her.

 

Avelyn narrowed her eyes as she blocked Pike’s attack and kicked Little Sword away; pushing Pike away before dropping and rolling away from Big Sword swinging his weapon at her. She swung her ‘saber upward to off balance a Knight as his vibro-ax came towards her. He stepped back and she backflipped away from the Knights; sliding an inch before using her left hand to steady herself in a crouch. Her right hand gripped her ‘saber; her talons clicking together as the four Knights loomed before her. The Knight with the blaster rifle aimed it at her from the side, his finger hovering over the trigger, and the sixth Knight powered up his electrostaff; her eyes glancing at it warily. Avelyn was steadily aware of Kylo Ren in the background; the Force helping her keep tabs on all seven figures.

 

Pike made the first move and Blaster fired upon her before the vibro-pike was swung at her. She used the Force to keep the bolt in midair before twirling and successfully blocking the pike. Rolling away, she let the bolt go and it hit the wall; Big Sword swinging at her. She caught it with her ‘saber before a thrum through the Force told her Kylo Ren was on the move. Hearing the crackling of his ‘saber, she used the Force to steady her left hand against Big Sword before reaching out with her right; a second lightsaber spiraling through the air from her cloak before landing in her hand. She quickly ignited it and swung it over her right shoulder, catching Ren’s saber; red sparks flying as the two clashed. Daring to glance behind her, she met his visor before Force pushing both Knights away and flipping to the side as Blaster shot off another round. She blocked it and Electro came at her, his staff crackling as she swung her left ‘saber so the blade faced behind her and twirled the right.

 

Ren was surprised.

 

He hadn’t known that she had two lightsabers as he watched her block the attacks of his Knights. It came out of nowhere as he had come up behind her; half expecting her to use the Force which he could have easily retaliated with. But when the second blade had come out of nowhere, he understood why his Knights had set up very different rules than they had with him. She moved with grace and with ease as she fended herself from the attacks of the six Knights; her posture so very different than when she had only one lightsaber. She moved with confidence, with ease; the lightsabers moving in a rhythm as she twirled them, attacked with them and blocked with them.

 

It was only when his Knight with the vibro-pike made a hit on her, her pained grunt filling the space, did Ren send out a burst of the Force; his Knights quickly backing off of Avelyn as he twirled his body to bring in a blow. She called upon the Force to help her and blocked with both ‘sabers, her injured leg coming up to kick him; the Force stopping her as he anticipated the attack. As she swung her left ‘saber, he brought his hand up to catch her attack; the right one successfully blocking the swing he dealt. He pushed her away and she stumbled a bit, blood dropping to the floor in droplets from her leg; both of them swinging their ‘sabers before he came at her. She blocked it with her right and threw her left ‘saber in the air, the blade twirling before it pointed to the ceiling, and she caught it; pushing with the Force as she brought it forward. He used the Force as well and red glowed between them as their eyes met; his covered by his helmet visor and she with a gleam in her eyes. Her mask and his shined in the light of the sparks flying from all three blades.

 

And Ren surprised himself when he thought that the sight was beautiful.

 

A blaster bolt came at them and Avelyn pushed Ren away to successfully block it; Small Sword lowering his blaster arm. It was then that Avelyn noticed a new presence approaching and she turned toward the door of the room as it slid open, revealing Hux.

 

“I don’t mean to interrupt but the prisoners are here and the Supreme Leader is very insistent that you interrogate them.”

 

There was disdain in his voice when he spoke and Avelyn knew it was because Snoke wanted her and Ren to do the interrogation; not him. She powered off both of her lightsabers and put pressure on her good leg as she staggered to find good footing. Ren did the same and clipped his lightsaber to his belt as the Knights slunk away from them; disappearing to somewhere only they knew. Hux eyed Avelyn as she walked forward; a trail of blood droplets following her as she limped forward. Using the Force, she brought her cloak to her; clipping the second ‘saber to it’s hidden place in her cloak and the first one to her belt. Ren wrapped his hood around his neck as she pulled on her robe and pulled the hood forward over her face; turning her head to Hux.

 

“Tell the Supreme Leader he’ll have our report within the hour.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that the weapons some of the Knights have are most likely not what they actually have in the movie. My friend and I studied every inch of the tiny snippets we saw of them and we did our best to match it. I honestly like the idea of them having weapons like a vibro-pike and electrostaff (which are actual weapons in the ST universe) just because it seems to fit them.


	15. Fourteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I get inspiration by watching Kylo and Reylo videos on youtube as well as listen to music that fits Avelo. XD

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys get a couple of chapters as an apology for being a horrible publisher.

“You should get that taken care of before we get started.”

 

Avelyn looked up from the floor to glare at Ren, who had stopped to let her catch up to him. They had left the Knights training room, Hux glaring at them as they passed him, and Ren had easily overtaken Avelyn’s gait as they walked. The vibro-pike had only touched her for a few seconds but it was enough to make a serious wound. The blade part was meant to vibrate when it hit it’s mark and Avelyn cursed herself as pain coursed through her body.

 

Kylo looked behind them at the small blood trail as a glimpse of her pain filtered into their connection. Her shields were up but it did not stop the trickle of emotions that leaked into the bond and toward his mind. He saw her take a deep breath before putting pressure on the leg and she immediately winced when she took the step. “Nothing a Force healing won’t handle after the interrogation.” Kylo narrowed his eyes at her - _you’re being a stubborn woman_  - and Avelyn looked up as if she felt his glare. Both were very tempted to look into the other one’s mind but their shields were sky high; making it impossible for the other to read them.

 

Kylo stood for a moment before making up his mind.

 

He stepped towards her and gently grabbed her arms as she tensed up before scooping her up bridal style. Her eyes narrowed at him and she snarled behind her mask; attempting to somehow Force push herself off of him without hurting herself. It would, unfortunately, not bode well for her as she remembered how yesterday she had done that and the back pain she went to bed with told her that it had not been a good idea.

 

She ceased her struggles as Kylo carried her through the empty hallway, though the male did not trust her calmness. If anything, she did not want to make the wound worse as it already was and he quickly carried her into his quarters; surprise leaking into the bond as he sat her on the small table in the middle of his room. It was almost identical to her’s except the fresher was on the right side of the room instead of the left. He watched her look around his room as he bent down to place his hand over her leg wound. Her gaze fell on his hand as he called out to the Force and closed his eyes; letting down his walls to her presence.

 

Kylo pictured the muscles stitching themselves back together, the blood stopping and the flesh pulling itself back together. He heard her breathing pick up, felt the pain that surge across the bond as, she too, let down her walls to him and he soothed it away as he worked. She would be sore for a few days but she would at least be functional; something Snoke would have been angered about if she wasn’t.

 

He finally opened his eyes as the last bit of skin stitched itself together and looked up into her face; her eyes staring into his visor.

 

Avelyn raised up her hands to find the release buttons for his mask - _why aren’t you stopping me?_ \- and listened to the hiss of air before pulling it off his head. She gently set it next to herself on the table as his curls were given room to move; a few finding their way to his hang in his eyes. The intensity that looked back at her in his bright brown eyes was unlike anything she had seen before. She was used to pain and fear; seeing something besides those emotions threw her off.

 

The bond pulsed as their presences wrapped around each other and Avelyn reached out into his mind.

 

She kept telling herself that it was because she was curious about this bond; that she was curious about being bonded to another powerful mind. She wasn’t doing this because she had never been this close to a human being in years; never felt the gentle touch of another. All of this was so she could understand this bond; that the Supreme Leader would think no differently of her. She didn’t want to believe that she was doing it for herself because, after all these years, her desire that she had buried so deep inside herself had now come.

 

That she had craved the gentle touch of another and now that she had gotten it, she didn’t want to let go.

 

He kept telling himself that he was allowing her to remove his helmet and touch his mind was because the Supreme Leader had given her the task of exploring the bond. That the feelings he felt were nothing more than a side affect and that they would disappear overtime. He kept telling himself that he was trying to make her trust him so he could her for his own personal gain; to help achieve his own personal goals.

 

It was all a lie and he knew it; even if he buried that knowledge so deep into his core.

 

Avelyn studied his eyes and he studied hers before they both withdrew quickly from each others minds; both freezing for a second as one word crossed each other’s mind.

 

_Beautiful._

 

She picked up his helmet and handed it to him and he took it wordlessly; the silence between them growing into a suffocated feeling. Avelyn sighed and pressed her hand against her leg where her wound had once been before looking up at him. “Thank you.” He nodded at her and backed away, giving her space to get down off of the table. She tested the strength of her leg before slightly limping out of the room. “We must hurry if we are to get what the Supreme Leader wants.”

 

Kylo quickly put on his helmet and followed Avelyn down the hallway, her gait slightly faster than what it had been a few minutes ago. The apprentices reached the door to the prisoners cells and the two troopers guarding it stepped aside; letting them inside the narrow hallway. Captain Phasma met them. “Sir, the six prisoners are ready.” Avelyn leaned to the side to look past Phasma and Kylo nodded at her before he spoke, voicing what was also on Avelyn’s mind. “But there are seven, Captain.”

 

“The seventh one has been giving us some trouble and is not ready for interrogation.”

 

Avelyn walked around Phasma. “Let’s start with him then.” Kylo followed her and Phasma followed them both. “He has not been prepped for anything.” Avelyn stopped and turned, her eyes gleaming from inside her hood. “He’s the natural leader of the group; the one that you can’t break. In his mind, he has to stay strong for the others.” Black talons clacked together as she clenched a fist. “That will be his downfall.” Avelyn looked up at Kylo. “You start the interrogation and I’ll find what will break his soul.”

 

Kylo nodded and swept past Avelyn; her eyes following his every move. She followed close behind him and opened their connection slightly; Kylo doing the same when he felt a nudge from her end. The Force crackled in the small space as they walked into the small cell; the prisoner stiffening and pulling at his restraints at the power of the Force that surrounded them.

 

Kylo Ren stood in front of the man while Avelyn stayed in the shadows; the faint light in the room reflecting dimly off of her mask. The man was dressed in all black, typical attire for underneath the stormtrooper armor, but his face was bloody. His busted lip was sluggishly bleeding and the cut above his eye was actively bleeding; the blood running all along the left side of his face. His brown hair was cut short and his green eyes were full of rage and denial.

 

“I’m not giving you bastards anything!”

 

Avelyn smirked behind her mask and Ren brought up his hand. “We’ll see.”

 

Kylo Ren pushed into the prisoner’s mind, Avelyn following close behind. She weaved in and out of memories; keeping her presence to a minimum as Ren flooded the prisoner’s mind with his own. Looking for a weakness, Avelyn cocked her head to the side before tilting her head up. Ren noticed the movement but continued his assault. “The Resistance was making a smart move when they volunteered you and the others. But never underestimate the First Order.”

 

Ren was moving towards some very defended thoughts when Avelyn stood to her full height. “So that’s your weakness.” The masked man stopped his assault as the prisoner stiffened some more while Avelyn walked closer to the two men. “I have no weaknesses.”

 

Avelyn snorted.

 

“That’s what they say. But men like you always have a weakness.”

 

And with that she walked out of the cell, leaving Kylo Ren and the prisoner, before returning a short time later with a woman. She threw her down on the ground and unclipped the ‘saber at her belt; igniting it and holding it close to the woman’s neck as tears steamed down her face.

 

“And that’s why you always fall.”


	16. Fifteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I love these characters so much.

The woman prisoner on the floor was sobbing quietly as Avelyn watched the face of the man in the restraint chair as he twisted around to see her.

 

The vein in his neck pulsed violently and sweat mixed with blood before rolling down the side of his face. Avelyn was right when she guessed that he cared for the group; a specific one in general. Her ‘saber glowed red next to the woman; her tear filled eyes staring at it in terror and her red hair sticking to her cheeks. Ren felt the power surging through the masked woman, her eyes briefly glancing up at him, before walking past the woman to stand in front of the man. “You will give us what we want.” And her eyes narrowed as she glared at him. “Or I will break her.”

 

Kylo reached back into the man’s mind and thoughts and images flooded his presence; stopping him in his advance to sort them all out. Avelyn caught a glimpse of all the images and smirked behind her mask before making her way back toward the woman. She had backed herself against the wall as the dark female moved towards her and knelt down; a taloned hand coming up to loom in front of her face. The tears in the woman’s green eyes started to flow more freely as Avelyn nudged her way inside her mind.

 

\--------------------------------------------------

 

_Happiness._

_Love._

_Peace._

_They flooded Avelyn’s presence as she made her way through the woman’s mind. But terror and pain easily overtook them and Avelyn began to move with ease._

_Until an image popped up._

_A planet full of trees blossomed before her; a few buildings yards away from where Avelyn stood. Resistance fighters and X-Wings were all around her as well as maintenance crews and droids. Shouts filled the air as well as the sound of engines powering up and Avelyn furrowed her brows as she tried to cipher through the chaos._

_Footsteps from behind made her turn around to see the redheaded woman gathering a crate to bring it toward a ship; a First Order ship. She wrote something down on a clipboard before taking the crate and the board into the ship. Avelyn looked around once more before spotting a face that had eyes similar to Kylo Ren. She took one step near the person, their eyes never leaving her own. It was like the person knew she was there and was studying her. Avelyn studied them back before a sudden realization hit her._

_This was Leia Organa._

_The sounds of an engine close by brought her out of her trance and she took one last fleeting look at the General before walking up the closing ramp of the redheaded woman’s ship. She was now dressed as a stormtrooper and Avelyn knew then that she was not a spy for the Resistance._

_She was the one the spies gave their findings to and she brought them back to the Resistance._

__

\------------------------------------------------------  
  
Avelyn came out of the woman’s mind with a different mindset; one that completely threw her off guard. This woman, this prisoner, was not supposed to have been at the training facility, was not supposed to have gotten caught. But the sudden rush of power that coursed through Avelyn at the thought that she had caught her overtook the guilt in an instant.

 

Bringing her talons closer to the woman’s face, she held the gaze of the prisoner and softened her eyes.

 

The woman’s own eyes widened for a moment before she relaxed; only to tense up again when Avelyn started to Force choke her. The two woman held each other’s gazes until the life left the redhead; her body slumping over as her eyes glazed over.

 

Kylo Ren had watched the exchange, had seen brief glimpses from inside Avelyn’s mind, and withdrew from the mind of the man in front of him. The masked female looked up at him before standing. “We have all we need.” Kylo nodded and proceeded to follow her but stopped before he could bump into her as the man inside the cell called out to them. “What will you do with my team? With Kiera?” Avelyn turned her head slightly and looked at the body of the woman, of Kiera, lifeless on the ground.

 

“Kill them.”

 

\----------------------------------------------------------

“Are you saying, my apprentices, that the Resistance knows we are coming for them?”

 

Avelyn and Ren stood before Snoke, along with Hux, and had told of their findings. Hux had been silently brooding beside them and Avelyn was getting annoyed with having him so close. Her and Ren hadn’t fully blocked off their connection, had left a few spots open, and she could feel his amusement at her annoyance toward the general.

 

Kylo Ren spoke to answer Snoke’s question.

 

“To an extant, Supreme Leader. We did not find out if they knew we would be attacking soon but they do know we were planning one.”

 

Snoke shifted in his chair and Avelyn spoke up. “We must hurry though, Master. The Resistance will not wait long before moving if they know an attack is imminent.” The grey humanoid stared down at three before him, turning fully to Hux after a few seconds. “Ready a battalion, General. We must move immediately if we are to apprehend them.” Hux bowed slightly and met the eyes of Avelyn as she turned her head to look at him; Ren looking over her like a silent, black protector.

 

The general walked away and the two apprentices focused their attention back on their Master. Snoke leaned forward. “Ready the Knights, Kylo Ren. It’s time for them to be useful.”

 

“Yes, Supreme Leader.”

 

It was Avelyn’s turn to be fixated upon and she stiffened when Snoke stood. The seven foot being came closer to her and rested a hand on top of her hood. “This will be a first for you, my star; a mission that is not solo. Do not make me regret it.” Avelyn tampered down on the flare of annoyance and rage but Kylo still felt it the tiny hints. “I will not disappoint you, Supreme Leader.” Snoke nodded before removing his hand; his long, grey fingers lingering on her hood before disappearing completely.

 

“Go, my apprentices, and oversee the attack on the Resistance.”

 

The two bowed like Hux had and disappeared together. Avelyn felt an itch crawl up her spine as she made her way to the hangar bay; Kylo veering off to gather the Knights. Her hands twitched at the opportunity to finally seek out the Resistance, seek out the murderers of so many. She had always been kept on the sidelines until now and she didn’t want to waste any time.

 

She, however, waited on Kylo Ren and his Knights; the six figures taking a separate shuttle than their Master. He turned to glance at her as he boarded his ship; a silent invitation stretching across their bond to her. She stared at him while he disappeared inside and surprised herself when she made her way over to the ramp. It hissed shut behind her as she stepped aboard and Kylo Ren was waiting for her as they began their takeoff.


	17. Sixteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm kinda excited about Rogue One cause it looks really good.

As the ship flew to the planet of D’Qar in the Ileenium system, a silence fell upon the two apprentices.

 

Kylo Ren had been through this drill before. Send in the stormtroopers, make his appearance and do his duty as a commander in the First Order. If this was to be a battle, he would fight like he always did; wipe out anyone who stood in his way. He would call upon the Force to fuel his rage like he always did.

 

And yet, this woman next to him was keeping calm; oozing it into their bond. Kylo tried to keep the rage alive in himself but he found he could not and that unsettled him. He kept these emotions and feelings to himself as best as he could but the feeling to just let himself bask in her power and darkness came back with a vengeance. Avelyn tilted her head as she turned to look at him; a ripple in their connection betraying Ren’s conflict. She slowly closed her eyes and a wave of sudden calmness enveloped Ren. He let out a slow, deep breath but the two were brought out of the feeling of each other by the trooper pilot.

 

“Beginning our descent, sir.”

 

Ren nodded. “Tell the Knights to make theirs.” The trooper nodded back and both apprentices stood up, ‘sabers in hand. They stood side by side before the ramp, waiting for the shuttle to touch down, but the ship took a sudden turn to the left; the trooper cursing in the cockpit. Avelyn slammed into Kylo and he reached out to grab something to hold onto. He wrapped his left arm around her out of instinct and stiffened; waiting for her response. Surprise and annoyance rippled in her direction of the bond but she made no movement to throw him away from her. She instead narrowed her eyes at the ramp door.

 

“ _Kriffing rebels_.”

 

She steadied herself and he helped her as the shuttle touched the ground; the ramp slowly lowering. Brandishing only one ‘saber, she stepped out with Kylo right beside her and knew why the shuttle made sudden movements. X-Wings flew in the night sky and tried to shoot down the Tie-Fighters that had come with them. Flames from previous explosions lit the base as stormtroopers battled with the rebel troops; the smoke creating a haze. Several presences appeared around her and Kylo as the made their way toward the fight and Avelyn saw the Knights of Ren forming around their Master.

 

Avelyn looked around the base, her eyes sparkling in the firelight, and let the walls of her mind crumble.

 

The rebels felt the hairs on the back of their necks stand up and their knees threatened to buckle. Those who were close enough to see that Kylo Ren had arrived were now starting to shake as they took in the smaller form that was before the dark lord. The Knights of Ren gathered around the robed figures as a crossguard ‘saber and a plain one were ignited in unison. Eyes gleamed from the darkness of the smaller one’s hood; her mask visible for all to see. And the rebels knew the stories were true. The stories of a dark one who would tear them apart.

 

The figure tilted their head back and huffed a breath from behind their mask.

 

And a red lightsaber made it’s mark in the chest of a rebel soldier.

 

One of the soldiers let out a war cry and started firing upon the black figures; the rest of the battalion joining in. Kylo deflected the blaster shots with his ‘saber as the Knights ran at the soldiers; dodging them as they came. Avelyn side flipped before rushing at a group of three; her second ‘saber quickly igniting in her hand while the first one was still stuck in the barely alive soldier. She sliced through the group before grabbing a soldier in a force choke and squeezing her hand together as she blocked with her other hand. A flicker of movement caught her eyes as a soldier rushed for her first ‘saber; grasping the handle and pulling it out of the ground. He unsteadly grasped her ‘saber and rushed a Knight; hands shaking the ‘saber as he swung.

 

Instead of cutting through the Knight, a force made it cut through him.

 

The lightsaber went twirling in the air back into it’s rightful owner’s hand; her talons clacking the black hilt possessively. Avelyn twirled her ‘sabers and made her way toward the command center; deflecting blaster shots back toward their owners and cutting down anyone who stood in her way.

 

A small group of troopers took up post on either side of her as they entered the main base building; taking cover as blasters were fired at them from inside the barely lit room. Avelyn narrowed her eyes into the darkness and searched out; finding nine rebel presences. Seven were trained on her and the troopers while two were focusing on something else entirely; their panicked minds spinning as they worked. Avelyn growled and flung a ‘saber into the darkness.

 

The rebels were deleting files from their equipment.

 

The ‘saber flew through the air; sparks flying as it spun around the room before returning to it’s master. Avelyn descended into the darkness; cutting down the rebels as the two who were working on the equipment panicked further. The male drew his blaster as the female clicked on the keyboard; their eyes darting around the room. The troopers descended the last steps and started to fire upon them; the female giving out a scream as the male pulled her down behind the table. The sound of static reached Avelyn’s ears as she spun around; her eyes locking onto the electro pike as the Knight of Ren marched into the room and spun his weapon around. The light coming from the pike lit up the room as the two technicians screamed as the Knight descended onto them both. Avelyn turned towards the troopers that came with her.

 

“Get a technician of our own in here.”

 

Two of the troopers nodded and rushed off as the rest of the squad moved into the room; looking for stragglers. The Knight emerged from the shadows and powered his staff off; coming to stand on the left side of Avelyn. She glanced at him quickly but focused her attention on the technician that had now arrived. “Gather what you can and find out where they were headed as well as any other intel.” The technician acknowledged her and set to work on downloading all that they could from the Resistance computers.

 

Avelyn made her way out of the bunker with the Knight close at her heels and she took in the sight around her.

 

Fire was everywhere and lit the way for both Resistance and First Order troops. The stormtroopers were gathering together all those that surrendered to them while others stormed and searched through the remaining bunkers and hangars. Reaching out with her mind, Avelyn sensed the rest of the Knights of Ren in different positions like sentries guarding a village. Hux was a few yards away from her and Kylo Ren was making his way towards her. Her head turned to look at him and she fingered her ‘sabers as he approached; his ‘saber clenched in his hand. He nodded at the Knight behind her and she narrowed her eyes at his helmet visor as the sounds of footsteps drifted away. “I swear if you sent him to watch over me, I will run my ‘sabers and yours right through you.”

 

Kylo Ren looked down at her and tiltedhis head.

 

Avelyn let her annoyance ram into his defenses as they stared at each other and Ren sent back his amusement. “I will let you know I had no intention of asking a Knight to watch over you, nor did I tell him to help you. You don’t need any of that.” Avelyn tilted her own head back in surprise at his honesty and let out a huff of air. Both apprentices were brought to the attention that the technician had found something and they made they’re way into the bunker.

 

The tech started to fidget as they neared.

 

Avelyn’s left eyebrow went up and the technician swallowed. “We were able to find the distress signal that told them an attack was intimate but we were not able to find where they were headed.”

 

A taloned hand clenched a lightsaber as a brown eye twitched.

 

“ _What_?”

 

The tech started to visibly shake and the words just tumbled from his mouth. “They were erasing and deleting data by the time we arrived and they deleted 99% of their library as well as destroyed some of their bigger memory chips. None of it is salvageable and we can’t save any of the data that was erased.”

 

The presence of the Force grew bigger and bigger in the large room and Avelyn was silently killing all the personnel with her eyes. Kylo Ren’s breathing picked up as the tech’s words stated to sink in.

 

The Resistance _knew_  they were coming and, to save their cause, the ones who volunteered to be left behind destroyed all that would be valuable to the First Order. There was nothing here but the Resistance’s troops and what few technicians were left and nothing else.

 

Avelyn quickly turned and stormed out of the bunker with Kylo Ren by her side. She walked toward the group that the troopers had gathered and looked at them with hatred before turning towards the armored soldiers. “Kill them all.” She walked away as Ren stood back and watched her; Hux coming up beside him to hear the report from the technicians.

 

Snoke was going to be furious.


	18. Seventeen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have writer's block -_-

 Avelyn had all but stormed off after ordering the stormtroopers to kill the rest of the Resistance personnel. Upon further investigation, Kylo was told that she had taken a separate ship back to the Star Destroyer that had entered the system after their attack had launched and had vanished as soon as she had landed. In the back of his mind, he felt the storming darkness of her presence filling with annoyance and anger with something mixed inbetween.

 

It didn’t take long for Kylo to realize that it was fear.

 

But he couldn’t blame her.

 

Kylo Ren himself was not looking forward to giving the report back to Snoke. He had failed before and the feeling alone was punishment enough. The only good thing was that they were not going to stand directly in front of him but rather in front of his hologram. But both he and Avelyn would still be able to feel his anger in their minds, though not as much as normal. They were across the galaxy from their master and the bond between them and Snoke could only extend so far. Surely Avelyn knew this but from what Kylo had seen and heard, she had never failed him and the bond between her and their master was strong due to her place in the Force.

 

The dark man strode to his shuttle as the stormtroopers destroyed the base and his ship followed Hux’s back to the Destroyer. He sat with his arms on his knees; focusing on the ever growing presence in his mind. Reaching out, he swirled around her walls; not touching her but not hiding his presence either. Annoyance rose from her before dwindling down and simmering along with her anger.

 

Kylo drew back from her mind when his shuttle touched down within the hangar bay of the Destroyer and didn’t bother to wait for Hux. In the back of his mind, a small voice told him to go find Avelyn; to make sure she was at least okay. But the very growing presence of her anger kept him back. He didn’t want her to lash out at him for he knew he would retaliate back. Instead, he made his way to the hologram room on the Destroyer and contacted Snoke.

 

The grey humanoid appeared before him on the small podium and Kylo ducked his head in a small bow.

 

“Supreme Leader.”

 

“Kylo Ren. Report.”

 

The male lifted his head and swallowed thickly. “They suspected we were going to attack and had already evacuated the base. The ones left behind destroyed what intelligence they had and what we did find was nothing useful.”

 

The look on Snoke’s scarred face told Kylo he was not happy and he clenched his jaw. He waited as his master breathed deeply before his head turned to look around Kylo. “General Hux, you informed me that your mistake would be taken care of.” His eyes narrowed. “And it hasn’t.”

 

Hux appeared beside Kylo with a tense stance. “We moved as fast as we could with what little time and information we had, Supreme Leader. We know that the Resistance fled their base and we can use that to our advantage.”

 

“General Hux is right, Supreme Leader.”

 

Kylo and Hux whipped around to watch Avelyn walk towards them; her eyes shining brightly. “They will need to set up base somewhere else and while they do, they will need supplies.” Hux looked at Snoke. “We can send some of our spies out to find information about the Resistance.”

 

“It’s already been done.” Avelyn stared at Snoke with a purpose. “I’ve already sent messages to our close allies and spies to seek them out.” The hologram leaned closer to the three. “And what do you have in mind when you find them?” Avelyn quickly glanced at Kylo before returning her gaze at Snoke. “If the General is as smart as they say she is, she would divide the base up into smaller ones; making the main base not as big as it was.”

 

“Start off small and work our way up.”

 

This time, Avelyn fully shifted her gaze to Kylo; her nod confirming what he said. “We can gather intel from their smaller bases and force them to play their hand; which would be to attack us. But this time we’d be ready for them. They won’t gain the upper hand again.”

 

Snoke nodded, his long fingers stroking his chin. “If this works, Avelyn, the General will call upon her brother to help the Resistance.” The brunette tore her gaze from Kylo’s visor and nodded once; her head bowing low. “Yes.”

 

“Do not disappoint me, my shining star. The Resistance must fall and the new Jedi must be wiped. It all depends on bringing Skywalker and the scavenger out of hiding and into the spotlight. I trust you three will make this happen.”

 

Hux replied verbally while Avelyn and Kylo nodded; the two already reaching for each other in their minds. The hologram of Snoke disappeared and Hux turned to the two apprentices; his gaze landing on Avelyn. “When is the earliest your contacts will reach you?” The female barely turned her head. “When they find something. Patience, Hux. We can’t afford another mistake.”

 

Hux narrowed his eyes at her as she twirled around and stormed out before looking at Kylo. The masked man straightened in his stance as he felt Avelyn in the back of his mind. “You were quiet, Ren. Having trouble keeping up?” Kylo stepped closer. “She has proven she can handle cautious situations. Unlike you, General.” Kylo quickly turned as he noticed the man’s face becoming the color of his hair and let down his walls further to follow the connection to Avelyn. He followed it until he found her alone on a viewing platform; confusion radiating through their bond as well as fear.

 

And he was the only one who knew she felt fear.

 

Her head turned slightly; her hood slowly falling from her head as it landed softly on her back. He saw her take a deep breath and he furrowed his brow within his helmet as his chest tightened. Coming to stand beside her, his arm brushed hers gently and he noticed her eyes widening slightly.

 

“I shouldn’t feel what I do for you.”

 

He looked down at her but she refused to look up at him. Words were tumbling out of her mouth and not even her mask could muffle or stop them. “This bond runs deeper than I anticipated it to and I’m not sure what to make of it.” They both watched as a TIE-Fighter flew past the window and Avelyn shivered. “I’m scared as hell to want you.”

 

Kylo tilted his head and she finally looked up at him.

 

“But here I am, wanting you anyway.”

 

Kylo nudged into her mind and she resisted for a minute before guilt and shame flooded his mind. She was ashamed for wanting him and not wanting what Snoke wanted. Everything she did was at his disposal and wanting Kylo was not one of them. “The Sith believed that passion was the gateway through life and that also meant compassion.”

 

Avelyn turned away suddenly and started walking away before stopping.

 

“But we’re not the Sith, Kylo.”

 

Kylo watched her leave as her walls were brought up again and shielded from his. He wanted to walk after her, again, and shadow her. There was nothing to do until they were contacted by one of their spies and he wanted to follow her, know her.

 

It wasn’t until a few minutes that the two apprentices froze in their steps as it dawned upon them both that she had called him Kylo for the first time.


	19. Eighteen

A small, dark figure stormed through the hangar bay before boarding a shuttle.

 

Avelyn took a seat and waited for her shuttle to take off, her heart racing inside her chest. One of the First Order spies had contacted her only a few minutes after her time with Kylo and had wanted to meet on a nearby planet. The coordinates were sent to her pilot and she had left immediately with no backup; like she needed it anyway. Her eyes narrowed as Kylo sent panic along their bond; concern following close behind as the Star Destroyer got further and further away. Sighing, she let down her walls.

 

_You left._

_‘Yes. One of our allies contacted me. I didn’t want to waste time.’_

_You went alone._

_‘Yes.’_

__

He was silent, only a few emotions that swirled together were left in his wake. Avelyn wondered if he had left suddenly or if he was even coming back at all. She did not mean to make him react to her leaving unannounced but with how fresh the bond was, he would have known the second she flew out of the hangar. His reaction confused her like his comment from earlier about how the Sith worked. She knew the Sith code as well as the Jedi’s. But she was right in saying that they were not Sith; far from it actually. Snoke trained them differently in that matter.

 

It made her wonder why he had said it though.

 

_Where are your coordinates?_

_‘He’s skittish and won’t see anyone but me.’_

_How can he be trusted?_

_‘He’s reliable. We’ve dealt in the past and he knows how valuable any information is.’_

__

Annoyance slammed into her mind and she growled softly.

 

_‘The task at hand is to find the Resistance, Ren. Do not interfere.’_

__

A pause came from his end.

__

_You called me Kylo earlier._

_‘Yes. I did.’_

_You’re afraid of that. Afraid of what it means._

_‘As are you.’_

_Fear is a path to the Dark Side._

__

_‘But your fear is so different than that. Your fear is like mine. You are not afraid of your successes but of repeating your failures. Your afraid that you’ll never achieve the strength of your grandfather.’_  Avelyn dove deeper into his mind, pushing him aside when he tried to fling her out. She snaked her way around his tactics and defended herself against his blows. _‘You’re afraid that I’ll break this bond and that you will be left to suffer alone.’_

 

Kylo Ren was completely silent in his mind and Avelyn slowly backed out of it. She remembered how he had comforted her after her nightmare and she knew that she could never get rid of him. Having a taste of human comfort had left her clawing for more and she wanted so badly to let him in. Because in the short time that this bond had been in place, she knew his mind like no other and that made her curious about him. He had so much pain that it was hard to break away from it because she knew she had her own pain and they clashed so brilliantly together. Everything around her and in her was changing and she could fight it all she’d like but it still wouldn’t change the fact that she craved him.

 

Her attention shifted from the quiet mind of Kylo to her pilot who told her they had touched down on their meeting spot. She gently nudged Kylo with her mind. _‘Tell Hux I shall have some intel within the hour.’_ Feeling a tiny acknowledgment from him, she stood up and pulled her hood low as she walked down the ramp. The air was thick with humidity and she could feel it pressing into her eyeballs. Her cloak gradually began to feel heavy and she frowned deeply before reaching out with her mind to find her contact. Feeling the presence of several individuals, she moved forward with her pilot in tow as she followed it.

 

Voices reached her ears after a few minutes and she clenched her taloned hand together. As she stepped into a clearing, she saw several ships with most of their cargo around them. She glanced among the beings gathering around different boxes of cargo before landing on one individual. Walking towards the figure, she sensed others staring at her and her pilot before she stopped in front of a crate.

 

“Tito.”

 

The individual, Tito, took his focus off of his cargo and onto her. The Nosaurian strode towards his ship and she watched as the small horned creature motioned for her to follow him. As she did, she held her hand up for her pilot to stay back and watch the other creatures that surrounded them.

 

Tito led her to a small table and chairs inside his ship where Avelyn gracefully sat down across from him. Her talons clack softly as she rested her hand on the table. “You said you had information about the Resistance.” A few short hisses and barks came from the creature’s vocals and Avelyn resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “I know of the attack on their base on the planet of D’Qar, as should you. I now want to know where I can find them.”

 

She listened as the horned creature talked for a few minutes with hisses, barks and warbles and watched his hands go in all different directions. Frowning again, she sighed and sat back in his chair. “If your intel is correct, I will guarantee your cargo safe passage through the First Order air space. But only if it’s correct.” Tito nodded his head frantically and Avelyn stood up. “I will send word if our deal stands up.”

 

Avelyn walked out of the ship and her pilot followed her back to theirs before boarding; setting the coordinates for the Star Destroyer. Breathing in deeply, the brunette went over what the small reptile being had told her. The Resistance was moving faster than the Order had anticipated and she had a feeling that FN-2187 was helping them; as he did know more about the them than the Resistance did.

 

She closed her eyes as calmness washed over her from Kylo; the slight hum of meditation sounding in her mind. It almost wiped away the feeling of Snoke in the back of her skull but he was still faintly there.

 

__‘_ Kylo.’_

_You found something._

_‘It’s small but it will do.’_

_Hux and I shall be waiting for your return._

__

She bit her lip inside of her mask as he went back to his meditation. It was so soothing and yet, she wanted him to stop it as well. She didn’t want calmness. She wanted the hatred that burned within her to come back with a vengeance; so she could have a purpose again. But as she looked deep within herself, she found that it was contained within a small box that she had undoubtedly made without her knowledge.

 

A voice so very faint fluttered through her mind and she almost stopped breathing as it continued to echo throughout.

_Don’t be afraid. I feel it too._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A Nosaurian is a canon creature in the Star Wars universe and seemed like a good creature to be a smuggler.


	20. Nineteen

Avelyn had made contact with both Hux and Kylo and the two apprentices were standing once again before the small hologram of their master.

 

Snoke narrowed his beady eyes at them. “Can you trust this intel?”

 

“We have sent out a small recon to confirm it. General Hux is pulling together several trooper squads to be ready at a seconds notice. If it is right, they will be deployed right away and we will oversee the attack.” Avelyn remained quiet as Kylo talked; the feeling of her master stirring at the base of her skull as she stared at him before she spoke out. “My informant is a smuggler with his hands dipped into many gossip pools. He knows that even the slightest rumor is better than none.”

 

A long, thin finger stroked a scarred chin. “What was his price?”

 

“Safe passage through First Order air space.”

 

Snoke was quiet as Avelyn clenched her hands at the feeling of him grew bigger in the back of her mind. “He will have it.” He leaned closer to her. “But only if his intel is correct.” She nodded as he sat back in his seat. “You two will stay on this task until I call for you. Your training must not be wasted or neglected, especially yours, Kylo Ren. Now go; I have something to discuss with Avelyn.”

 

Kylo straightened up and turned toward the female next to him but her eyes were focused on Snoke. He took his leave and she swallowed hard as she was left alone with this hologram. “There’s a disturbance in your presence, Avelyn.” Avelyn clenched her jaw as he studied her. “This bond is having an effect on you, one I did not foresee.”

 

“Forgive me, Supreme Leader.”

 

He held up a hand to stop her. “It’s affecting Kylo Ren as well. I can’t sense any Light in him and that is because of your place in the Dark Side has helped him. But he is not done with his training. When the time is right, I need you to do something for me, my shining star; to help him complete it.”

 

“I will do my best to please you, Supreme Leader.”

 

“I know, my shining star. I know.”

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Avelyn bolted upright in her bunk, the sounds of screams filling her head.

 

She had gone directly into her appointed quarters to sleep as they waited for the recon squad to contact them back. But a dream came to her, like it did every night, but this was not her usual dream. It had the screams of millions of people being killed; fire burning them for an instant until they were no more. The weight of all their despair and pain crushed her chest; making it almost impossible to breathe.

 

Flinging her blanket back, she properly sat up and looked down. She remembered feeling like this, remembered hearing those exact same screams but it wasn’t in her nightmare. Those were the screams of the people The First Order killed with Starkiller a few months ago. She remembered hearing them as she sat in her room, grasping her head as they echoed and pounded in her mind. Using the Force, she grabbed her robe and slipped it on before walking softly down the corridor in nothing but her underclothing, robe and bare feet.

 

Sliding open a door, she peered in as Kylo looked up at her; his outer layer of clothing lying on the table and he himself sitting on the bunk which looked much too small for him. He stared at her wide eyed as she stepped forward. “What are you doing here?” She wrapped her robe more tightly around herself. “You reached out in your sleep.” He quickly turned away from her and she stepped closer. “They haunt you, don’t they? The screams of those who were killed from the Weapon.”

 

His fists clenched on either side of him.

 

Avelyn let out a breathless laugh. “I couldn’t stop thinking about them all after it happened. Snoke was displeased but I never in all my years felt anything like that.” Kylo nodded.

 

He knew that. It was one of the things he saw in her mind when the bond formed, one of the things she had either let him see or didn’t care if he did. Looking up at her, he nodded again. “I know.” Avelyn took a deep breath before quietly sitting down in front of him; looking up into his face. She stared at the scar that run across it like she had when she first got a closer look at it and reached up to touch it. Kylo flinched slightly as her cool fingers touched his skin but he made no move to stop her. Instead, he looked at her own scar on her lip and focused on it.

 

“Snoke senses something different about me. He knows it’s you.”

 

Avelyn nodded her head as her finger traced his scar lightly. “He senses your Light is gone and believes my place in the Dark Side has helped.” She drew her hand back and rested it on her lap. “Whether it’s true or not depends on the Force.”

 

Kylo hung his head and Avelyn reached for it; gently placing her hands on either side of his face. She leaned down and rested her forehead against the top of his head before nudging past his barriers as her eyes slipped closed.

 

\--------------------------------------------

 

_Shame did reside in his mind as she entered; shame that he could not defeat the Light himself. Avelyn traveled swiftly and tactically through his mind to the source of the discussion. She wrapped herself around the warmth of the Light side and waited a few seconds. If Snoke believed that his Light was gone and could not sense it, that meant that Avelyn had defied him for the first time in her life. She drifted back to where Kylo was waiting and their bond hummed and crackled as they just sat there; actually **enjoying** the other one’s presence._

 

\---------------------------------------------

A beep brought them out of their meditation and Kylo got up to grab his communicator; Avelyn intently watching him. He looked at it for a few minutes before gripping it tightly and letting his arm fall; anger flaring in his mind. “There was nothing on the planet your informant told you about. The Resistance wasn’t there.”

 

Avelyn looked deep in thought. “Either they sensed we were coming or they knew it would not be a good time to build their base again. I still assume they will separate into smaller bases as to remain undetected.” She looked up at Kylo. “My informant knew that it may have been nothing but nothing has destroyed entire structures in the past. Every little thing must be taken with caution. It’s why Hux’s plan failed in the first place. Starkiller was not indestructible and he got to comfortable with thinking it was.” Getting up and pulling her hood low, she walked pasted Kylo before stopping; breathing deeply. “Right now, we must do what the Sith of old did and be patient. The Resistance will make themselves known.”

 

Kylo watched as she left and turned to sit on his bunk. He let his grip on his communicator lighten and he stared at the piece of equipment. The feeling of her fingers on his scar still lingered and he could still feel her through their connection.

 

Snoke indeed knew that something was going on between the two apprentices but he didn’t seem to be displeased about it. Kylo hoped it would continue that way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always liked that scene with Kylo on the Destroyer as he watched Starkiller's weapon destroy the planets. But since my story started after that, I still wanted to touch up on the fact that he must have felt something during that scene; like Ben Kenobi did in A New Hope when Alderaan was destroyed.


	21. Twenty

The next several weeks turned out to be a time of hatred among the First Order.

 

Countless amounts of spies and recon teams were sent out but still the Resistance was yet to be found. Snoke was greatly displeased and called upon Hux and Captain Phasma daily to go over new and old tactics. Avelyn and Kylo felt him all the time in the back of their minds and they were just as miserable as Hux and Phasma were.

 

The two Force users talked daily with the other one and Avelyn believed that they were trying too hard. Usually their spies were quiet and very hard to find. But now it seemed that the First Order spies were everywhere and everyone wanted to talk or keep their mouths shut. Daily, Avelyn mediated in the Force and even went as far as trying to use it to feel for the Resistance. But the General, despite being a direct descendant of Darth Vader, had no feel of the Force in her presence. A few times, Avelyn felt a faint spark of something somewhere in the galaxy but she could never pinpoint where it was or who possessed it.

 

It frustrated her and Snoke knew of it; often times asking her to come before him and interrogate her on the subject. She would leave with an awful headache and Kylo always stayed back as to not make it worse. But by doing so, he was.

 

The two apprentices now depended on each other’s presences greatly and usually voiced concern over their connection if the other one was guarding themselves more carefully than usual. Late night meditations became a ritual thing and they would succumb to the feeling of calmness.

 

And that’s when the two started reaching out for each other in their sleep.

 

Kylo knew of Avelyn’s recurring nightmare, though he was never actually brought into it. He would hear screams in his head and feel the heat of flames but never actually see what she was dreaming. In these moments, he would quickly reach out, wrap himself around her, and she would latch on to him; just like the time after they had just bonded. But even though Avelyn, who Kylo knew was having a hard time struggling with all of it, seemed to appreciate his presence, she would roughly push him out of her mind and her barriers would go sky high. Kylo would always remain quiet; a bubbling cloud waiting just beyond her borders and Avelyn would let annoyance flare to let him know that he was not welcomed in that moment.

 

She was struggling with the difficulty of keeping her promise of revenge to her parents. Hatred, rage and revenge was what drove her on. It made her plant her feet like stone in the Dark Side and made it possible for her to feel and know things in the Force. She had gone so long without kindness and calmness but now, it was almost a daily thing. And as much as she had always craved it: she didn’t know what she wanted now.

  
On the fifth day of the sixth week of waiting and searching for the Resistance, Avelyn dreamed a dream that was not her’s.

 

\------------------------------------------------------

__

_Instead of the usual pain and heat, she found herself in a bright, cool place. She looked around and her brow furrowed. Pale pillars held up the structure she was standing in and the walls were a light cream color. In another room, she saw kids practicing moves with sticks in a fashion that was primarily made for lightsaber fighting. Seeing the type of clothing they were and how it looked like the clothing of the Jedi of old, Avelyn knew exactly where she was._

_She was at Skywalker’s Jedi Academy._

_A presence flared up in her mind and she turned in the direction it was coming from; stepping outside to follow it. Green trees and grass surrounded her and a breeze brushed softly through her hair. A dark form sat on a nearby hill and she walked towards it; the soft grass tickling her bare feet. When she reached the hunched over, dark clothed form, she sat next to it and turned to see that Kylo had his eyes closed. She watched him for a few seconds and then tilted her head._

_“Why did you bring me here?”_

_His eyes slowly opened and he turned to look at her. “I don’t know.”_

_Avelyn looked around. “This is the Academy you destroyed. Why come here in your sleep?” He didn’t answer and instead stared straight ahead; Avelyn following his gaze._

_A lone boy was was walking toward the school; brandishing a crossguard saber hilt. Avelyn watched him and she quickly got up to follow him; ignoring Kylo’s calls behind her. She watched him ignite the ‘saber and heard children scream before being abruptly cut off. It fascinated her how someone who was born of the Light could do something like and she had to know **why** ; had to **see it**. She heard Kylo call for her again but she kept following his younger self through the Academy. _

_As she did, several figures approached from the shadows and joined in with the massacre; stopping Avelyn in her tracks. She stared at them, watched them move along with Kylo until it slowly dawned on her and her eyes widened._

**_These were the Knights of Ren._ **

_She always wondered where they could have possibly come from; how they could follow someone like Kylo. And this was the answer why. They had come from the same place he did and now they followed him, even if they did challenge Kylo in his leadership from time to time. And as Avelyn watched, they did get closer as if to cut him down too but almost thought against it and stepped back. Avelyn felt the lust for power and greed in their minds and she knew that’s why Snoke had chosen them. One path to the Dark Side was the want for power and they certainly had it._

_Avelyn turned around, the sounds of screaming and the hum of lightsabers roared in her ears and the blood pounded in her head. Kylo stood a few feet away; his fists clenched and his scar burning red. She furrowed her brow and looked at the ground. “The Knights came from the same place you did.”_

_A nod._

_She furrowed her brow some more and then looked up at him. “How?” He slowly came forward and stopped directly in front of her; making her crane her neck to look up at him. A strange thing happened to her heart and her chest tightened as she stared at him and he stared back in return. His head tilted. “It’s effects you to be this close to someone.” She took a deep breath and spoke softly. “Answer the question, Kylo.” His adam’s apple bobbed as he looked away from her and at the massacre behind her; her eyes never leaving his face. “Snoke must have visited them and offered them more power than Skywalker could give.” He looked back down at the brunette in front of him as she shook her head. “That’s because the Light side doesn’t agree with being power hungry.”_

_He nodded and continued to stare down at her; studying her._

_He had only seen her like this that night he dreamed about all the people who had been killed by Starkiller but this time was a little different. She was wearing a black tunic and pants with her feet bare. There was no mask or robe to hide her and her hair was blew gently in the breeze. Her eyes shown with curiosity and a burning light that made him wonder what made it burn. Her mind was unguarded as she stood here in his dream with him and yet, he didn’t feel like he always did. Guilt did plague him but this time not as much as it usually did; something he suspected was because of her. He felt her confusion at the things she was feeling and he understood because, he too, had them._

_She looked up at him once more and his breath caught in his throat._

_Avelyn searched his eyes and trailed up his scar that was no longer a sickening red but was a silver color once more. “Guilt is a powerful thing, Kylo Ren. But it brought you to where you are now.” He nodded once more and cautiously brought his hand up to move her hair away from her face. Her eyes widened with curiosity and fear before a beeping noise sounded and Avelyn was thrusted out of the dream._

__

\--------------------------------------------------  
  
She gasped as she bolted upright in her bunk and grabbed at her chest as her heart pounded furiously in her chest. The touch of his fingers burned along her face and she could still feel the warmth of his body from their close proximity. She felt him brushing her mind gently with his and she shuddered.

 

_Avelyn, we found a base._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had watched a video somewhere that someone had theorized that perhaps the Knights of Ren were also students of Luke who turned to the Dark Side. Even though there's so little we know about them, I actually quite like this theory just because it gives the Knights an origin; which is something I thought long and hard about while researching them. I'm really hoping in Episode 8 that we get some sort of background on them.


	22. Twenty-One

Avelyn stormed into the control room where Kylo and Hux were waiting for her.

 

She had just thrown on her shirt, pants and boots before clasping her mask on and headed out the door. Dark circles encased her already darkened eyes and Kylo looked no better. He stared at her as she came in and the air hummed with the electricity of their bond; the dream still fresh in both of their minds. Hux looked at her up and down before contacting Snoke; Avelyn coming to stand beside Kylo. He glanced down at her as she breathed deeply and tilted his head at her.

 

_Okay?_

_‘Yes.’_

 

Snoke appeared before them in hologram. “General. What is it?” Hux straightened in his stance. “We have found a Resistance base, Supreme Leader. Two of our contacts have confirmed that it is, indeed, the rebels.” Snoke’s eyes widened and Avelyn’s breathing picked up as she felt him from across the galaxy. He was indeed pleased and she could feel it as he let his power go before he suppressed it again. “Good. This is all good. Engage an attack, General Hux. Kylo Ren and Avelyn will be at your disposal. Go prepare your troops.” Hux nodded and left while Snoke trained his eyes on Avelyn. “You have done well, my star, in seeing that the rebels would divide into smaller bases. Even though the attack in the Ileenium system was a failure, you will oversee this attack. Kylo Ren will stay behind with Hux to oversee it from the Destroyer and to be prepared to attack another base if it appears.” Avelyn swallowed thickly as she felt concern flare from Kylo’s end of the bond. “You will not fail me, my star.”

 

“No, Supreme Leader.”

 

Snoke nodded before ending the hologram and Avelyn breathed freely; more easily. Kylo looked at her and she grit her teeth; snapping at him. “What?” His eyes narrowed. “You are not yourself. I know that our bond has been taking a toll but this… something is wrong.”

 

Clenching her jaw, she looked up at him. “There is nothing wrong, _Ren_.”

 

Kylo watched her leave; her presence never fading as she simmered on her side of the bond. There was something very wrong and he knew; which meant she did as well. But she was Avelyn and she didn’t let anyone see how broken she was, not even him.

 

But Kylo knew anyway.

 

He knew the first day he met her.

 

\------------------------------------  
  
Avelyn returned to her quarters and started preparing for the attack.

 

She grabbed her talons and, one by one, thrusted them onto her fingers; Kylo prowling around her mind. Lashing out quickly, she warned him to back away and leave her to her own thoughts. He promptly withdrew but not as much as Avelyn would have liked him to. She sent him her annoyance and grabbed her ‘sabers; clipping them into place before throwing on her robe. Pulling on her hood, she walked toward the hangar; a prominent thrum sounding throughout the Destroyer. Troopers stood out of her way as she walked down the halls, meeting Hux at the entrance to the hangar.

 

He turned as she entered and walked over to her.

 

“We have made some adjustments to your squads armor. This will be a test run for them in combat but our technicians are sure that they will hold.” Hux seemed quite pleased with what they had accomplished and Avelyn looked around him to see her squad.

 

Instead of the usual white and black armor, her troopers wore sleek black armor without a hint of white anywhere. The design was the same as the others except for the helmet. It had two air filter cylinders going down each side and the speaker almost reminded her of the stories of the mask that Darth Vader had worn. The two eye visors were a deeper black than the rest of the armor and a First Order symbol was on the temple of each helmet.

 

Avelyn felt a rush of thrill burn in her veins.

 

She turned to Hux. “You took the old armor design from the Death Troopers the Empire once used.” Hux nodded; quite pleased with the armor. “It should hold better than the original stormtrooper armor. It’s more flexible and stealthy, which will should come in handy on this mission. ” Avelyn looked toward her squad again. They looked fierce and cunning; like demons in the night. She smirked behind her mask and nodded to Hux. “It’ll do.”

 

She walked away from the general and listened to the squad of her new Death Troopers follow; walking toward their own ship while she went to her’s. A flitter of a presence danced quickly around her mind and she stopped; barely turning around to look behind her. She knew who it was that was reaching out for her and yet she did not see him anywhere.

 

She was surprised that she secretly wished Kylo Ren was there to see her off.

 

Scowling, she marched into her shuttle and closed her mind up tight; pushing him away as he tried to contact her. She refused to let him get to her, especially in the middle of preparing for an attack. Her orders were to infiltrate the new base and she would do just that. Kylo Ren would only slow her down in her mind and she could not afford to be preoccupied with him.

 

A whisper told her that what she was thinking was all wrong.

 

The familiar sounds of the shuttle taking off brought her out of her inner conflict and she nodded to the troopers in the cockpit to begin their flight. Her eyes slipped closed as she took up a meditation to prepare her.

 

\-------------------------------------------------------  
  
_When she opened them, she was not in her shuttle._

_She was in a meadow of the greenest grass she had ever seen._

_Frowning, she took in her attire; her frown turning into a scowl. Her cloak was missing as were her boots and her mask. She was dressed like she was when she visited Kylo in his dream and she angrily looked around for him. When she spotted the dark, familiar figure, her scowl deepened and she stormed over to him._

_“I am not asleep and neither are you so what the **kriffing hell** am I doing here?”_

_He turned to her; his slight curls whipping gently around his face and his shirt flapping lightly in the breeze. “I was meditating after you cut me off from your mind and I assume you were too. So now we are both here.” Avelyn turned up her nose at him. “I understand now why the **scavenger**  had such an annoyance with **you**.” His eyes flared in anger and he stood right in front of her; making her lean back to look up at him. “This is as much fault as it is mine. Remember, Avelyn, it was **you**  who made the first contact like this when the bond was formed.”_

_Her heart began to beat faster and she took a step back; looking away from him._

_She suddenly felt very cold and she wrapped her arms around herself as she continued to back up; Kylo cautiously reaching out for her. “Avelyn.” Looking up at him, she swallowed thickly. “You asked if there was something wrong earlier. If you knew there was, why ask at all when you know the answer already?”_

_Kylo looked away from her._

_The meadow that they were in was a place his mother used to take him as a kid when she did business on Naboo. His father had come with them a few times and so did Chewie. Those were some of the few times he had seen his parents truly happy and relaxed. But everything would change when they would go back home; his father and Chewbacca would fly away in the Falcon and his mother would return to her work. He, however, would play in his room until the day his mother decided to let him go with Uncle Luke to the Academy to be trained._

_Rage and anger raced through him as the memories swirled in his mind and he clenched his fist._

_Avelyn tilted her head as she watched. “I’m not the only who has something wrong with them.” Kylo looked back down at her as she stared; like she was looking deep into his soul._

_She suddenly whipped around to glance behind her. “We’re almost there. Let me go.”_

_Kylo finally took a few steps and grabbed her arm gently. Her head snapped back to look at him; fear and surprise in her eyes. He swallowed and took a deep breath. “Be careful.” She let out a breathless laugh. “Maybe we’re both what’s wrong with each other.”_

_Darkness overtook both of them but the feeling of each other’s warmth never faded._

__

__\--------------------------------------------------------------_ _ __  
_ _

Avelyn slowly opened up her eyes as one of the troopers came out of the cockpit. “We’re almost there, ma’am.” She nodded at them. “Land a few klicks away and order the troopers to do the same. We shall have the element of surprise on our side this time.” The trooper nodded and went back to the controls; Avelyn turning to stare in front of her

 

Kylo was at the border of her walls, a barely noticeable presence just sitting and waiting. She barely brushed against him and got a gesture in return.

 

_Just be careful._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I just say I reeeaaally like the Death Troopers in the Rogue One trailer so much? XD


	23. Twenty-Two

Avelyn ducked into the cockpit as the shuttle slowly came out of light-speed.

 

Dantooine loomed before them and the troopers ship flew up next to them as they stalled silently. She looked at the main pilot. “Request TIE-Fighters to be on standby outside of the planets atmosphere.” The trooper nodded and Avelyn continued to look towards the planet. A buzz vibrated in her mind as she felt a group of humans on the ground; no doubt the rebels.

 

“Take us in. It’ll be dark when we arrive.”

 

The ships silently flew into the planet’s atmosphere and landed a few clicks away from the coordinates that was given to them. Avelyn waited for the ramp to open and was met with a very dark, rainy scene. Lightning flashed in the distance and she couldn’t help but feel somewhat smug. Unless the rebels had taken more precaution than the First Order thought they had, they would definitely have the element of surprise.

 

Avelyn watched the trees sway as the winds picked up and she took a deep breath; stepping out into the rain. Her robe was soaked in a matter of seconds; her clothes underneath absorbing the moisture. Tiny drops of rain made small thunk noises as they connected with her mask and she glared into the forest; the lightning illuminating her eyes inside the hood.

 

The sound of footsteps had her turn around as the black troopers came up from behind. The raindrops ran smoothly down their armor and the lightning reflected brightly off of them. She nodded to them and reached out with the Force to find the base; walking into the forest as she felt it. The group moved slowly and stealthily; Avelyn unclipping the ‘saber at her belt as they neared the Resistance base.

 

The outside area was completely deserted; save for the few torches and lights that lit up the way. Avelyn waited for a few minutes before moving forward into the open. The Force trickled slowly from her mind to help her feel for the enemy and she felt her troopers behind her follow. An uneasy feeling crept into her chest at the deafening silence that pressed into every part of her skull. Something wasn’t right and maybe it was just her paranoia at disappointing Snoke again.

 

Avelyn huffed into her mask and motioned for her troopers to follow. They followed close behind her as she neared the stone structure door that was mostly hidden by moss and plants. Swiping her hand through the air, a door slightly opened and the black figures crept in; water droplets running down armor and clothing before finding their place in the cold floor. Avelyn closed her eyes and tilted her head slightly to the side while she let the Force go before them. She sensed several presences down the hallway they were in and even more beyond that in a room she hoped was the server room.

 

She walked forward, her boots hardly making a sound, and listened intently to any noise; keeping a steady hold on the Force. Motioning toward the door ahead of them, she stopped as four of her troopers went before her and startled yelps and grunts met her ears as her Death Troopers took care of the rebels in the room. A shiver went down her spine as they came out and turned toward her; adrenaline rolling off of them in waves.

 

The thrill of the hunt is what kept them alive and Avelyn knew the feeling.

 

She nodded to them and smoothly walked past them; the feeling of the eyes behind their visors intense. Avelyn tilted her head up once more and felt for the rebels beyond the hall. Nobody had moved from the room and all was still quiet but she knew it wouldn’t be long before the ones in the room would be discovered.

 

Igniting her lightsaber, she brandished the red sword and blasted the door to the room before her open. Shrieks and yells rang out before all was silent for a second as the rebels realized who had come. Orders were shouted and guns were aimed but the rebels never had a chance as the Death Troopers and Avelyn descended upon them.

 

Fear crept into Avelyn’s chest as she watched blaster bullets nearly miss the equipment.

 

“Mind the machines!”

 

The Death Troopers paid her no heed but she knew they heard; they were programed that way. They all crept closer to their targets and aimed higher than they had been while Avelyn continued to cut down those who tried to escape. She sought out a person who knew the controls and would have access to specific information; who knew of what they were looking for and she found one. Locking eyes with a middle aged male, she watched the blood drain from his face and terror shine in his eyes. She started to make her way toward the male and he bolted for the door; a growl coming from her mask. Vaulting over a desk, she reached out with the Force and he cried out as he lost control of his limbs, never ceasing in his struggles. Avelyn put away her ‘saber and grabbed the male by the neck, dragging back toward the computers while the Troopers checked the bodies of the dead. She pushed him onto his knees and knelt down next to him.

 

“You know exactly what I came for. I need you to give it to me.”

 

The male shook his head, whimpering out ‘no’, and Avelyn felt her patience wear thin. “The difference between asking and telling at the moment is that I didn’t ask. You __will__ give it or I __will__  take it.” To make her point clear, she gripped the base of his skull with her taloned hand and plunged violently into his mind. His cries echoed throughout the stone structure and she stopped after a few moments. “Give it.”

 

The male slowly got up and Avelyn’s eyes followed every single move he made. A Trooper stood fairly close to him, overseeing the work the man was doing. She turned to the others. “Start moving the bodies outside. Then burn them.” The Troopers nodded and started moving, leaving Avelyn and the one Trooper to watch over the rebel. The male soon turned to her and held out a disk chip which she took in her hand. Raising her taloned hand, she let it linger over his face before smiling at him; confusion and fear in his eyes. “Thank you for following instructions.”

 

And she let the Force slip through her fingertips; lightning crackling from her the talons as she electrocuted his mind.

 

She watched him spasm as the lightning trickled from her fingers and soon stopped, his body falling to the floor with a loud thud; smoke lazily rising from his head. Looking at the Trooper across from her, she handed him the disk and motioned toward the computers. “We don’t have time to get to the Destroyer. Find out what’s on it and then send a message to General Hux.”

 

The Trooper nodded and turned away from her as Avelyn stepped over the body on the floor to follow them. Attaching the chip to a computer, the Trooper’s armored fingertips clicked with the keys and Avelyn stood by; frowning at the state of the room. Several computers were busted and one giant hard drive sparked; the frown deepening under her mask.

 

She really hoped there was nothing valuable on there.

 

“My lady.”

 

Turning toward the Trooper, they motioned toward the screen. “The rebels had plans for another base.” Avelyn nodded. “Give the coordinates to the pilot.”

 

“What of the General?”

 

Avelyn looked into the black visor; her thoughts whirring in her mind. If she were to go back to Hux and Kylo, it could take too long. The rebels could already know this base was hit and be moving out of the new one.

 

And Kylo.

 

She wouldn’t be able to shake him. The craving she had for him, to feel his mind entwine with her’s, would be too great to say no to if she went back. She was _not_ weak, she would never _be_ weak, but there were some things that _she_  couldn’t even say no to.

 

“Send a message when we’re en route. We have the rebels in our sights and _I will not lose them now_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo, who wants a sequel when this story is done?


	24. Twenty-Three

“General. Sir.”

 

Kylo Ren and General Hux both turned from their positions on the bridge to face the personnel who disturbed the silence between them. Hux had been listening intently to the other personnel at the controls and Kylo had been standing at the windows. He could feel Avelyn stirring in the back of his mind but every time he reached out for her, he got thrown back into his own. A force field was stationed around her side of the bond and it crackled with a power that Kylo had never felt in anyone.

 

And he had no clue what she was doing.

 

But the personnel before them fidgeted and Hux clasped his hands behind his back. “Report.”

 

“Squad 482 has reported in, sir.” Hux turned to Kylo. “Her squad.” The masked man nodded at the general in agreement and waited for the personnel to finish talking. “They sent us coordinates to another Resistance base.” The red headed man took a deep breath and turned to Kylo. “Gather your squads and follow the coordinates. Where is Squad 482 on the their arrival to the Destroyer?”

 

And the male before them started to _sweat_.

 

“They’re not, General. They are on their way to the Resistance base now.”

 

Kylo felt anger flare throughout his mind and crash into Avelyn’s; her walls successfully blocking him.. He was angry that she had shut him out, left him hanging without any clue to if she was alright, and that she had contacted them only after she was on her way to the rebel base. Hux visibly twitched and his jaw clenched. “Kylo Ren, dispatch your squadrons.” And the man stormed away; leaving the personnel with Kylo. The dark man tilted his head down and the personnel bowed lowly before fleeing.

 

Avelyn was nothing but a silent storm as he walked towards his shuttle.

 

\-----------------------------------------------------

Avelyn cut down a rebel before Force choking another one.

 

Her and her Death Troopers had landed near the base and found it much more functional than the previous one. The good thing was that more information could be found; the bad news is that it was more heavily guarded than the other one.

 

Which meant greater risks of their plan being discovered.

 

The female growled as she looked up at the metal catwalks overhead; blasters from both sides racing past her. She had dropped her robe somewhere in the base as it restricted her abilities to move easily and all the rebels saw her face more clearly. Her eyes glared with hate and rage and her mask reflected the light and blaster bolts. When she had her robe with her hood up, she was terrifying but without, not even the stormtroopers dared to looked her in the eyes.

 

And the rebels knew there was no way they were getting out of here alive.

 

Avelyn twirled her ‘sabers and forced jumped up to the catwalks; cutting a group of rebels in half. She deflected the blaster bolts and cut down half of the rebel group with both her lightsabers before turning around to face the other half. The front of the group had their blasters trained on her and the ones in the back were slowly inching backwards. She twirled the ‘saber on her right hand while gripping the one in her left. In a split second, the one in her right when spinning through the air and screams arose from the rebels; the pounding of boots fading away and blasters being fired roared in her ears. She hissed in pain as a bolt hit the outside of her thigh; her leg threatening to buckle. Gritting her teeth, she used the pain to fuel her fight and stormed down the hall after the rebels; her Death Troopers taking care of the ones below her.

 

The crackling of an all too familiar lightsaber being activated reached her ears and she froze; the feeling of Kylo’s presence wrapping itself around her. She had been so consumed in her task and cut off from him that she hadn’t even noticed the huge, dark cloud that had been forming outside of her mind’s walls. Avelyn hadn’t even though to pay attention to his side of the bond until it was too late.

 

He was here.

 

He was close.

 

And he was furious.

 

His presence wrapped itself around her mental walls; threatening to break them but never doing so. Avelyn grit her teeth and continued on her search for the rebels and their control room; Kylo’s presence pulsing around her mind. The Force crackled with electricity as the two apprentices made no effort to hide their presences. She limped and called upon the Force through her pain and frustration; cursing the rebel who took a chunk out of her leg. The Knights of Ren had given her a variety of wounds but she could never shake the pain of them which frustrated her to no end.

 

Pain flared and trickled through her walls and into the bond.

 

The presence surrounding her pulsed in concern and rage.

 

She growled and followed the presences of rebels; trying to ignore Kylo’s prowling presence. Forcing open a door, Avelyn found herself looking at the ends of eleven blasters. Stopping quickly, she gripped her lightsabers tighter and mentally cursed herself for being distracted. She should have investigated with the Force but she hadn’t and now she had to assess the situation.

 

Her Death Troopers were closing in on her position as was Kylo and his squads. Two rebel personnel were already at the terminals but her squad had jammed the communication radar as soon as they had landed; to make sure no alert got to the General. The only thing that was uncertain was whether they were deleting files as Avelyn watched the men before her.

 

Straightening in her stance, she rolled her shoulders and tilted her head to the side; her talons quietly clacking together.

 

She swiped a ‘saber without warning.

 

Two rebels were cut down as the rest fired at her but she quickly used the Force to protect herself as best as she could. She stabbed one in the chest while slicing another; letting the blaster bolts she had held go as soon as she was cleared. Adrenaline was rushing through her veins and her head; numbing the pain from her previous wound and ones she was sure she had just suffered. She grasped onto her rage and hate; wincing for a split second as pain flared before dying down. Grasping onto the slight trickle, however, she used it to fuel the Dark Side in her as she killed all the rebels in the room.

 

She finally stopped and extinguished her lightsabers as her Death Troopers entered the room.

 

Along with Kylo Ren.

 

Looking up into his black mask at the doorway, she breathed heavily and continued to keep her mind in check as she felt him probe along her walls. She turned to one of her troopers. “Gather what you can. And tell the pilot to set course for the Destroyer.” The trooper nodded and Avelyn walked toward the doorway; wincing slightly.

 

Kylo continued to follow her movements with his head and he nodded to his own squad before following her; an ever dark presence in reality and in her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy crap, we're like halfway through the story.


	25. Twenty-Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't going to post a chapter until next Sunday but today is a very devastating day for the Star Wars universe as well as the rest of the world.  
> Rest in peace, our beloved galaxy princess.

When Avelyn and Kylo returned to the Destroyer, they were met with a boiling mad Hux.

 

“Leader Snoke specifically put me in charge of this operation and you, Avelyn, have endangered it. The First Order deals in mission with order and discipline and what you just did was chaotic and reckless. We are not barbarians. We bring order and justice to the galaxy; even if it is rebel scum.”

 

Avelyn was standing before Hux; her robe once more wrapped around herself and her hood up. She was fuming and breathing heavily; something Kylo immediately picked up on as Hux delivered his speech to her.

 

“You may have succeeded in both missions but Leader Snoke will deal with you after I give the report.”

 

“Do you even know why I was sent with you, Hux?”

 

The venom that dripped from Avelyn’s words had an effect on Hux as his eyes widened slightly before he hid his surprise. Kylo felt her stirring on her side of the bond and how it snaked over to his side; entwining with his concern for her wounds. He bit down on his tongue as she swirled around him in every way; her anger and annoyance very pronounced.

 

“You and Ren have restrictions placed on you, have rules. Ren’s may not be exactly the same but they are similar to yours.” Her eyes flashed. “You want to talk barbaric? Destroying a whole entire system is barbaric as it was without mercy yet that is what Snoke ordered you to do. I have no restrictions, no rules. I’ve been sent on many missions and have not failed once with my methods. So yes, go tell Leader Snoke but believe me: he won’t care.”

 

She turned away from the red head and limped past Kylo; his head turning to look at her. Walking through endless hallways and over catwalks, the pain from her wounds began to increasingly grow; causing her to grit her teeth and bite her tongue. She had more than just a leg wound, she realized as tiny pinpricks of pain ran along her arms, as she made her way to her own room; dropping her robe on the floor along with her ‘sabers, talons and mask as she stepped inside. Undoing her belt and stripping out of her clothing, leaving herself with a sleeveless top and undergarments on, she inspected the severity of her wounds.

 

Her left thigh had a graze wound by a blaster on the side that had taken a chunk out of her leg and was the one that was causing her so much pain. The black from charred skin and blood made it a sickening sight and she hissed out a breath as she carefully pulled a piece of her pant fabric from the wound; causing the blood to sluggishly ooze. She had tiny, black graze wounds along her arms from where she had barely stopped the blaster bolts in midair. Calling upon the Force, she healed the tiny wounds up with no problem before carefully pulling herself onto the table in her room and returning her attention to the wound on her leg.

 

Her door slid open and she looked up in surprise at seeing Kylo standing in the doorway.

 

She gritted her teeth as she saw him there. “What do you want, Ren?” He tilted his head. “You must be losing your touch if you cannot feel be approach anymore.” Stepping inside, he leaned closer to her and Avelyn felt her throat close up as she felt his presence surrounding her; both physically and mentally. “Or is it because you trust me, Avelyn?” Her eyes accused him of so many things and her mouth was set in a straight line. “I don’t have time for whatever lecture you have, Kylo.”

 

He stood up straight and Avelyn watched him lift his hands to his mask; her heart beating faster as the air hissed and he pulled it off. Setting the object down next to her, he kneeled before her - _Why can’t I hate you and make you leave? _-__ and carefully took off his gloves; placing his hands on her bare thigh. Her breathing almost stopped completely and her mind was going into overload - _Please, stop, I **need**  to hate you._ - as he carefully examined her wound; his bare hands warming her skin. He glanced up at her and found her eyes faintly glossed over but with fear shining brightly in them. Moving slowly, he grabbed her robe from where she had dropped it and slowly dropped it around her shoulders; the movement bringing her back into reality and her eyes widened.

 

He felt the confusion through their bond and he gently nudged her side of it as he walked into her fresher to get the med kit he knew she’d have there.

 

_She resisted his touch but he kept nudging her until she finally let him into her mind. Her walls were still fortified, keeping emotions at bay, as he settled like a blanket over her presence._

 

He kneeled before her once more and took a wet cloth; gently wiping away the charred skin, dried blood and black cloth from the wound.

 

_Pain flashed greatly in her mind and he went to soothe it away, only to get a backlash as he did. She was brewing in her mind and he felt her grip onto her pain; clawing fervently at it. It was the one thing she was used to and she wanted it, **needed it** , as she felt things she had hardly felt in all her life._

 

Her jaw clenched as she watched him. “Why?” Kylo glance up at her before continuing his task. “Why what?”

 

“Why are you doing this?”

 

She watched him set down the cloth before grabbing a bacta gel packet. Ripping it open, he poured a generous amount on the wound; her muscles tensing up and her jaw clenching as the pain increased. “You weren’t going to go to the med bay. And seeing as you have neglected wounds before, I assumed you would do the same.” He looked up at her. “And I was right.”

 

She glared down at him. “I was going to do so before you came unannounced.”

 

Kylo chuckled as he placed a bacta patch over the wound and started to wrap it with a bandage. “I did announce myself. You weren’t paying attention.” He finished and looked up accusingly at her. “In fact, you’ve been avoiding me.”

 

She growled and he quickly backed away from her as she stood; wrapping her robe tighter around herself. “I didn’t know I had to keep up with my personal babysitter.” His eyes flashed accusingly at her words and he stepped closer. “For as much talk as you have made about this bond, it seems you yourself don’t even fully grasp it.”

 

Her hand shot up to Force push him away and he grasped her wrist in his hand; gently holding it.

 

And her walls came crumbling down.

 

“This bond was the only way to save your role in the First Order; to save your use. Snoke was furious and if he had killed you, all that fury would have been aimed at me. So I used it as a personal gain to save myself from his wrath. It was never supposed to come to this. I didn’t ask for this but you’re stuck in my head. I shut you out because I could feel your presence in the farthest corners of my mind and _I crave it_.”

 

Avelyn was breathing heavily and her pulse was beating furiously against his fingers as he held her wrist. He felt the her shame, anger and hatred but also her warmth and craving for this bond. She was scared and confused at these emotions that she had never felt before and she was so _terrified_  of what it meant for her; _for them_.

 

Kylo slowly reached up and placed his free hand on her cheek; her eyes widening with such _fear_  as she felt the warmth of his skin and his thumb gently brush under her left eye. His own emotions shown in her eyes as he looked at her with so much _compassion_ and slowly bent his head down; his eyes slipping close as his lips touched hers.

 

Her eyes widened and the Force crackled in their space before her’s slipped close as well; his presence enveloping her once more through the bond and in reality.

 

It was so wrong.

 

_But it felt so right._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> May the Force be with us all.


	26. Twenty-Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about not uploading. College has been busy and depression is a bitch.

_It was just a kiss._

 

Avelyn kept telling herself that over and over as she waited for Snoke to appear in a hologram. She guarded her mind carefully as she felt his presence grow at the base of her skull. Her stance straightened as Snoke appeared.

 

“Avelyn.”

 

She knelt on one knee and bowed her head. “Supreme Leader.”

 

“Hux is displeased.”

 

Avelyn stood up. “He doesn’t agree with my methods is all.” Snoke chuckled. “You went against his orders and sought out the Resistance without his knowledge.” She grit her teeth; causing her jaw to rub uncomfortably against her mask. “Time is of the essence, Master. Coming back here with the second base coordinates would have wasted time that we might not have had.” She looked at Snoke with a calculated look. “You sent me because I don’t have rules and I don’t have limitations.”

 

Snoke grinned evilly and a shiver went down Avelyn’s spine. “I sent you, my shining star, because you would not fail me and you would accomplish the mission, no matter the consequences.” The hologram leaned forward and Avelyn breathed heavily as his presence grew in her mind. “You, Avelyn, are my greatest accomplishment.” His presence fluttered through her mind. “General Hux will know this in time.” She nodded. “Yes, Supreme Leader.”

 

His hologram disappeared and she stood there in silence, Snoke’s presence dwindling down to almost nothing; just a dull void in the back of her skull. Her breathing picked up as Kylo brushed against her walls but she refused to let them down just yet. Walking out of the room, she made her way towards the conference room where Hux was with Phasma.

 

“General. Captain.”

 

Phasma stood at attention while Hux barely made so much as a twitch. “I assume your talk with Snoke was fulfilling.” Avelyn grinned wickedly behind her mask; her eyes flashing. “Your assumption is correct, General, seeing as I will proceed with my methods like I always do.” She leaned closer over the long table in the middle of the room. “Snoke’s orders.”

 

The general’s face turned a light shade of red and Avelyn gracefully took a seat at the table. “You wanted to talk.” Hux breathed deeply, pressing a few buttons on his end of the table. “We are waiting for Ren.”

 

Avelyn remained still but her presence was barreling across the bond and she slammed into Kylo. He lashed out quickly but stopped himself short as he gently grabbed onto her presence once he realized who was attacking him. She shuddered in his hold and she lashed out at him, unsuccessfully breaking his hold.

 

_You’ve been ignoring me again._

_‘Get your ass up here or else I will continue to do so.’_

__

Avelyn continued to sit in her chair, looking quite bored, as Kylo’s presence grew in size as he neared the room. She looked up at him as he entered; his hood laying over his shoulders instead of over his helmet and his boots making loud thuds as he walked. His gaze lingered on her and she quirked an eyebrow at him, the bond between them sparking.

 

“Good. You’re finally here, Ren.”

 

Kylo ignored him before coming to stand behind a seat. “I suggest you get to the point of this meeting, General.” He felt Avelyn’s amusement over the bond and turned toward her when she flicked her hood off of her head; leaning towards them. Hux brought up schematics for a base and Avelyn leaned closer to look at them. “These plans are just a few of what was retrieved from the last rebel base. It’s a heavily fortified structure that we have no knowledge of and the plans tell us nothing of where it is stationed.”

 

Tilting her head, Avelyn glance over them. “Most likely it’s more than a base. See here?” She pointed a talon at a specific part of the plan. “Those are plans for what look like a council room. If I didn’t know better, I’d say we were looking at the beginning of the newest Republic.”

 

Hux, Kylo and Phasma leaned closer to look; the general narrowing his eyes. “So they think they can build a new Republic?” Kylo glanced up at him. “The bigger question should be is do they know we’re onto them already or did they suspect us? The plans were already there, not hidden.” Avelyn huffed. “The answer may be no to both of those questions. There could have been architects at the base along with soldiers and they could have been working on it as it looks like some of these plans are changed.” She looked up at Hux. “Whatever it is, it’s not a concern. We stick to the mission that Snoke tasked us with.” Avelyn waved her hand over the plans. “This is just them showing how indestructible they think they are. Nothing more.”

 

She got up from her seat and walked past Kylo; his body instinctively turning toward her’s. He brushed up against her mind with a gentle caress and she allowed it; almost welcomed it before pushing him away. Annoyance flashed briefly from his side of the bond and he pushed at her.

 

_Stop ignoring me._

_‘I understand why Snoke didn’t want you to bond with the scavenger.’_

_You’re afraid because I kissed you._

__

Avelyn stopped in her tracks; finally noticing that she was just aimlessly walking. She clenched her fist tightly; her talons digging into her palm. Feeling Kylo’s smugness, she growled and pushed against his mind. _‘I’m not afraid.’_

__

_And yet, your mind says differently._

__

She leaned against the wall in the darkened hallway; throwing up her walls and feeling Kylo’s annoyance spike. And as much as she hated it, he was right. She was afraid; terrified even. _‘It was just a kiss.’_  But it was more, no matter how hard she tried to tell herself otherwise. It opened the gateway of emotions she didn’t even know she had, let alone could feel. That one small, simple gesture of affection effected her like nothing had ever had before; not even Snoke’s praises, as scarce as they were.

 

And yet, it was something she hadn’t even known she craved.

 

Sighing, she let down her walls and felt Kylo’s presence growing ever closer. The hallway was still surprisingly abandoned, except for Avelyn, when he arrived and he watched her eyes follow his every move. He faced her and if anyone had come, it would look like they were having a civil conversation.

 

If only they knew.

 

“Snoke won’t be happy.”  

 

Kylo tilted his head back; his visor reflecting the dim light. “We hide it then.” Avelyn narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. “You don’t hide from him and you know it. He was willing to tear the bond from your mind when you had it with the scavenger. What makes this time any different?” His head moved to look down at her and she was actually annoyed he had his helmet on. “It’s different because it’s you.”

 

Her eyes actually showed compassion for once as she looked at him.

 

“It doesn’t matter. You know his teaching is different from the Sith’s; he doesn’t believe in compassion. It’s what made the Sith and Empire fall before. He won’t see it differently.”

 

A gloved hand came up and brushed her fringe out of her eyes before he held it out for her. She hesitantly lifted her taloned hand and laid it on his palm; his fingers curling to loosely hold it.

_He won’t find out._

__

But Avelyn, deep in her bones, knew that a day was coming where he would. And she was not looking forward to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need like a desperate, gut-wrenching sex scene with these two
> 
> BUT ANYWAY WHO'S READY FOR THE NEW MOVIE CAUSE THAT TITLE RELEASE HAS ME IN FEELS


	27. Twenty-Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote like five chapters last week, whoo hoo

If Snoke did ever catch wind of what was going on between Avelyn and Kylo; he never said anything.

 

Which scared the dark female more than anything.

 

A silent Snoke was a deadly Snoke. It meant that he was meticulously planning; always watching them. Not involving Avelyn in his plans was rare for him as she was like a dangerous assassin; his shadow in the dark and his voice to those whom needed it. He would ask her questions as if to to test her and she almost always had an answer he could rely on.

 

But he was silent, brooding in the back of both her mind and Kylo’s, and it made Avelyn worry.

 

Especially since the Resistance had once again gone silent.

 

Avelyn stood to the side on the bridge; watching Hux’s temper rise by the second. His back was ridged and his hands were clutching behind his back; his face wiped of any emotions. A flash of a light caught the female’s eye and she looked behind her to see her Death Troopers armor were reflecting the stars. They had taken up following her around; ready to be deployed at a moments notice.

 

As much as she enjoyed watching the fear in the personnel's eyes as they watched the dark figures walk past them; being with Kylo was now difficult.

 

A shudder rippled down her spine as the devil himself caressed her side of the bond. She breathed deeply as she continued to allow the affection and he nudged her walls; a silent question of entrance.

 

_‘Not now.’_

_What’s going on?_

_‘Take your pick of problems.’_

__

Amusement drifted through her walls and Avelyn mentally rolled her eyes as she continued to watch Hux; her Troopers watching her in return. She finally let her walls down and allowed Kylo entrance. _‘We’re doing this all wrong.’_ Confusion arose from him. _What do you mean?_

__

_‘We’re acting differently from the ones who came before us. The Empire never went searching for the rebels like we have been doing. They had them come to them. We’re doing this wrong.’_

_Snoke asked for us to do it like this._

_‘No, Hux did. Snoke went along with him to see how he would fix his mistake.’_

_You don’t agree then?_

_‘I don’t agree with Hux.’_

 

Kylo sent understanding along their connection before he nudged her once more. She sighed, the noise gravelly through her mask, and she turned; her robe billowing around her. The loud footsteps of her Troopers echoed behind her and she allowed them to follow as Kylo guided her in her mind to where he was. A door whisked open and she entered the room; the man himself practicing forms in an empty room. Holding up a hand, she silently ordered her Troops to stay out of the room as the door closed. She took of her robe and flung it to the side; her hand calling for the lightsaber hidden in it’s folds. It came barreling into her hand and she unclipped the other one from her belt before igniting them both; striking at Kylo in an instant.

 

Their ‘sabers clashed in a mirage of red.

 

She pushed against his and twirled her lightsabers while he looked at her. His helmet was laying off on the other side of the room and his hair was sticking to his forehead; his eyes flashing brightly. Avelyn smirked behind her mask and struck at him; his ‘saber catching hers while he caught her second one in his hand. She suddenly leaned backwards and kicked him in the abdomen; pain briefly flaring through her wrist as it was ripped from his grasp. He grunted before straightening; Avelyn staring intently at him as he did.

 

He brushed along her side of the bond and was attacked by her mind.

 

As he winced, he saw a flash of red coming toward him and barely missed the swinging ‘saber that slashed at his neck. He brought his ‘saber up to, once again, deflect the second one and she dropped the ‘saber in her right hand; the taloned fingers grasping his neck. Gripping onto her wrist, he stared down at her as the tips of her talons pressed into his neck; one directly over his pulse. Her presence eased into his mind and amusement as well as smugness overwhelmed him. She leaned in closer; her voice barely a whisper.

 

“I win.”

 

Her eyes were shining and Kylo brought his free hand up to cup the back of her neck; feeling around the edge of her mask. He felt for the clasp of her mask and he unhooked it when he successfully found it. Easing it away from her face, a smirk resided beneath while her eyes were hardening at his actions. He brought his hand up to her cheek as he powered his ‘saber off; Avelyn following his action. “You almost killed me though.”

 

A chuckled left her lips. “If I wanted to kill you, Kylo, I wouldn’t have gone for your neck.”

 

Her free hand came to rest upon his chest as the one around his neck slackened. She pointed a finger directly over his heart. “I would have stabbed you right here. Because I would have wanted to see your eyes as you died.” A small smile graced her face. “But I like you a little too much to kill you.”

 

Kylo stooped down and met her lips; kissing her hard. He felt her relax against him and her hand snaked around to the back of his neck. The past few weeks had been rewarding in the fact that they had both accepted the fact that this bond was something they couldn’t live without and the feelings they had were accepted by the other.

 

What they had was more than they had ever known in their entire lives.

 

Kylo broke the kiss when he felt Avelyn shudder and her muscles went ridged under his hand as a shiver went down her spine. “Avelyn?” She turned to look behind her; her eyes shifting about as her pupils dilated. Kylo crept to her side of the bond and felt an unfamiliar presence; nudging her to acknowledge him but was pushed away instead.

 

“Hux has new intel.”

 

She grabbed her mask from his hand and snapped it on; Kylo narrowing his eyes as she called for her ‘sabers using the Force.

 

“Avelyn…”

 

“I think your uncle is on the move.”

 

Kylo’s own muscles tensed up as Avelyn turned to look at him. “And if he is, the Resistance is on the move as well.” He slowly nodded and she slipped on her cloak. He clipped his ‘saber onto his belt and turned around to get his helmet; only to see it wasn’t there. When he spun around, Avelyn was in front of him holding it. He bent his head down low and she gently slipped it over his head; the front piece sliding into place as the air release hissed. Her hands lingering and he brought his hands to hold her wrist; the talons clacking on the helmet.

 

“Let’s go find out Hux’s plan.”

 

He nodded and let go of her; following the dark female out of the room where her Troopers took up post on either side of her. The Force crackled around her and she was like a smothering storm in her mind.

 

“Avelyn. Ren. We’ve made contact with a rebel base.”

 

Avelyn’s eyes zoned in on the hologram before them. “When do we leave?”

 

“Captain Phasma has already deployed some of our squads and is leading the raid.”

 

A twinge of annoyance came from both Force users as they waited Phasma to contact Hux with an update. The two looked at each other and Kylo saw Avelyn shudder as the Force called to her. He brushed gently over her mind and she welcomed it.

 

“General Hux.” Phasma’s voice came over the transmission. “We have found coordinates for another base.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prepare for feels in the following chapters.


	28. Twenty-seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm feeling generous today and I give you another chapter

Avelyn watched from the bridge as Kylo led his squadron into the hanger bay of the Destroyer.

 

Hux had immediately dispatched the male while Avelyn looked on; the Force pulsing in her mind. Something felt very wrong about this situation and even though she wanted to go with Kylo, she had to hold herself back. The presence of the unknown pulsed at the base of her skull and she could tell from the personnel around her that her own presence thrummed in their minds.

 

She turned from window and walked back to the hologram table; watching the information Phasma was relaying.

 

Hux looked up at her. “Don’t worry, Avelyn. I’m sure we’ll have a job for you soon.” His cold tone and annoying smirk made her itch to grab her ‘saber and make his head roll. She narrowed her eyes instead. “Perhaps it’ll be your job, Hux, that I get; considering how long it’s been since we left Snoke in search of the Resistance.”

 

The look on Hux’s face was satisfying as Avelyn straightened in her stance and walked away. She felt Kylo over the bond and quickly made her way back to her quarters; sitting on her bed when she reached it. Taking a deep breath, she reached out to his mind and he pulled her in; letting her sink into deep meditation as she hooked up with his mind.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------  
  
 _It only took several minutes for Kylo and his troops to arrive at the planet of the new coordinates through lightspeed._

_They descended into the atmosphere; the blue of the water below them sparkling the reflection of the sun. Kylo looked through the cockpit and saw two islands a few miles apart from each other side by side. He felt a twitch in the back of his skull but he simply brushed it off as Avelyn as she simmered in the middle of his mind; his own presence keeping her confined in one spot._

_He felt the fluttering presences of those on the island to his right and he directed the pilots to land; telling all squadrons to begin the assault. Avelyn pushed at the barriers he had planted around her; wanting to explore through him but he pushed back. She was a distraction as it was and he hoped she knew that; he needed her to. It must have dawned on her through the numbing power the Force had over her as he felt her compose herself; steel the urge._

_Kylo’s shuttle landed and he brandished his lightsaber; the image of when he first captured the scavenger fluttering across his mind. It was banished in an instant and he felt Avelyn give her disapproval; prompting him to get to the task at hand._

_Hux had kept her back for his own personal amusement and she was pissed off she wasn’t leading the assault alongside him._

_Avelyn pushed his mind once more and he was moving; the blood roaring in his ears. He followed the presence of his troopers as they pushed forward; the rebels retreating inside their base. The presence in his mind urged him to use caution as he struck down a rebel that had popped up from the rubble._

_Tie-Fighters zoomed over-head; getting into heated battles to the death with X-Wing fighters. Kylo watched as a Fighter went barreling into the water; a huge ball of flames before an X-Wing joined it side by side. He felt a shudder in his mind and tightened his hold over Avelyn’s presence. The Force presence was getting stronger; he could even feel it._

_And it suddenly dawned on him that she was focusing on him in order not to follow her basic instinct of following the urge._

_A stormtrooper came out and waited for him as Kylo descended into the base; thinking that it was too easy to get in here. He heard a murmur of agreement from Avelyn; the female paying attention very closely from her bubble._

_He watched as his technicians went over the data in the memory drives but Avelyn stirring in his mind caught his attention._

__

‘Something isn’t right.’

__

_His eyes narrowed behind his visor; his presence growing bigger in the tiny space. He felt Avelyn cast with the Force, using him as a beacon, and she felt confused and agitated._

__

What’s wrong?

 

‘It was too easy. The base plans. The attack. Gathering information.’

 

_It slowly dawned on Kylo what she was saying and the sound of more X-Wing fighters overhead confirmed her suspicion._

__

**_It was a trap._ **

__

_Kylo raced outside and cursed as new squadrons of rebel soldiers swarmed the base and X-Wings pilots fired up them; the Tie-Fighters overhead racing to protect their fellow First Order troopers. He turned to a trooper. “Call for back-up!” Avelyn stirred in his mind as a shudder went through her again and she pushed against the barrier._

__

‘I know where he is.’

 

_Before Kylo could ask her what she was talking about or keep her with him, she retreated; leaving him alone on the island with rebels coming in on all sides._

__

\--------------------------------------------------------  
  
Avelyn jerked out of her meditation and flung open her door; meeting her Death Troopers outside. “Gather a squadron and get a shuttle and Tie-Fighters ready.” They nodded and she raced towards the bridge; Hux frantically talking with a trooper over the communications.

 

“Get all available squadrons down onto that island now.”

 

Hux looked up as the dark female came stalking towards him “We cannot risk all of our battalion on that island.” Her eyes narrowed inside her hood. “We’re the First Order. This is not the only Destroyer we have nor do we have all the stormtroopers with us. Get another one here but you are going to send all available units to that island before Kylo Ren and his squadrons die.”

 

She started to walk away when Hux stopped her. “And what will you be doing?”

 

He watched her stop and stand still before she did a full body shudder; her presence growing thicker in the Destroyer.

 

“Following Luke Skywalker and the girl.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU TO ALL YOU HAVE COMMENTED  
> They seriously make my day and I smile every time I see one   
> Y'all are precious ^-^


	29. Twenty-Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoo hoo, next chapter x)

The weight of the presence was heavy on Avelyn’s mind.

 

She took a shuddering breath as her pilots flew her shuttle to the same planet where Kylo Ren was battling with the rebels. The trap had been well played out and she was sure that Luke Skywalker and the scavenger girl had something to do with it.

 

Because she could now feel them both.

 

Their presences pulsed within her mind and it took a lot from her to put up walls; holding off the pressure that weighed on her. Luke Skywalker felt like an old, wise presence; the Light burning bright in him. The scavenger was young and not as balanced as Skywalker was. Avelyn felt the struggle of emotions the female had within herself but she had the Light radiating off of her; the Dark that was there many months ago was now just a shadow.

 

Avelyn clenched her fist; her talons digging into her palm as she felt the shuttle dip low. She stood up and saw the battle that loomed on the island from the cockpit before her eyes rested on it’s twin. Pointing at the island, she instructed the troopers to fly low and land on it; making communication with the trooper carrier that was with her to do the same.

 

The shuttle jostled a little as it landed and the presences in her mind pulsed violently. She unclipped the ‘saber at her belt as she felt life on the island; life of the rebels that hid in the shadows as it watched the First Order be ambushed on the opposing island. Avelyn grit her teeth as she felt Kylo in her mind; his presence simmering in anger and rage. She knew he was aware of her presence near him but there was nothing he could do or say about it; not while he had other things to take care of.

 

A shudder went through her one last time and her head snapped to the side when she felt a powerful presence that was neither Skywalker nor the scavenger. Her eyes narrowed as she instructed the squadrons with her to attack the rebels and hold nothing back. She stalked toward the new presence as it became clearer who it was.

 

General Organa was here; a few miles away from her son.

 

\-----------------------------------------------

 

A blue lightsaber stabbed through a stormtrooper before a green one cut down another one.

 

Stormtroopers were flocking the island like ants and Rey had to wonder how the First Order still had some. She knew from Finn that they took them as children, sometimes babies, and conditioned them to obey and carry out orders but she could never wrap her mind around that.

 

Not with how many numbers they seemed to have.

 

She looked toward Luke as he nodded toward the bunker and the two of them raced inside. Leia was overlooking the deletion and removal of all important data and she looked up when the two Force users ran in. She had been so relieved when her brother had answered her calls for help as the First Order searched and destroyed Resistance bases but now she felt they had a chance with him and Rey at their sides. The death of Han had weighed heavily on her as well as the knowledge that her son may never be brought back to the Light like her own father had. Knowing that he was just on the other island and it was she who had set up the ambush had her heart aching but she was out of options.

 

With news of the new Dark side user, she had only so many options.

 

“Leia, you need to leave.”

 

She shook her head. “We’re not done here. And you know I won’t leave anyone behind.” Luke went up to her and gently rested a hand on her shoulder. “It’s not safe for you here. Your death would mean the end of the Resistance and there is a greater risk of the masked user being here.” He motioned to the rest of the personnel. “Rey and I will see that everyone makes it out of here safely.”

 

Leia wanted to argue. She had never run from a fight nor had she ever shied away from being the last one to leave. But Luke was right. Sighing deeply, she nodded her head in agreement. Luke nodded back and the three moved to the hangar bay but immediately stopped when a presence washed over them all. It was a heavy, dark presence and it thrummed in the back of their skulls; pounding into their very minds. Leia’s eyes widened as she looked toward Luke but stopped when a black figure appeared at the hangar doors.

 

Their hood was pulled low over their face but there was no mistaking the mask that peeked out from the bottom. A red lightsaber glowed in their hand and they swirled it as they looked up at the three.

 

Bright eyes burned from within the hood and they started to stalk towards them.

 

Luke pushed his sister in the direction of an awaiting ship. “Go! Now!” Leia quickly ran to the ship with Rey at her side; the blue lightsaber already ignited. Luke ignited his and swirled it as well.

 

Avelyn watched as the Jedi guarded the General; the older woman looking at her with fear in her eyes. The dark female was reminded of the memory from the rebel, Keira, and she almost stopped; the intensity of her stare stirring something deep inside her. She growled into her mask and she slipped her robe off; dropping it onto the ground as she approached the older of the two. He raised his ‘saber defensively and she called for her second one; the blade igniting before she struck at him.

 

Luke was taken off guard when she ignited a second ‘saber but he had no time to come to terms with it as the masked female struck at him. He carefully watched her move, trying to find a rhythm in the movements, but she was too fast. She wasn’t reckless but she was so fluid in her movements that it seemed like she was striking in one moment and then the next, she was striking in a different position.

 

She didn’t use one form of fighting; she used them all.

 

Rey told the pilot to take off and take Leia back to the main base as she ran out of the ship; hearing the engine roar to life. The masked figure looked up and her power radiated off of her; the Force around her crackled and sparked. She struck at Luke and pushed him away; the latter stumbling as he tried to catch his footing. Rey ran up to the figure with her ‘saber raised but was thrown back from a Force push as the female stalked toward the ship. As it was taking off, the figure growled and crouched down low; preparing to jump onto the ship and tear it apart with her lightsabers. Rey quickly got up and yelled; running at the black figure.

 

Avelyn turned around and blocked the blue sword that was coming down on her; pushing the female away. Annoyance rose through her veins as she watched the ship disappear and she took it out on Rey and Luke. They tried to double combo on her but she used the Force to help her anticipate their moves.

 

Rey felt a pull in the Force to the masked female and she reached out; touching the walls around the powerful mind. Her eyes lit up in recognization and Avelyn narrowed her own. “You’re her!”

 

Avelyn smirked behind her mask. “Took you long enough, didn’t it?”

 

Rey struck with new intensity; the promise to kill this female in front of her was strong. She barreled into the walls and broke them down; her rage assisting in her assault. Avelyn widened her eyes as she pushed Luke away and zapped him with lightning before coming at Rey with an almost desperate movement. She growled at the scavenger. “Get out of my head!”

 

But Rey was already in pursuit of something to bring this female down; to find something that would disable her. She found a powerful wall in the middle of her mind and used her rage to begin breaking it down while she continued to fight the female.

 

A second presence appeared and Rey knew it was Kylo; the red threads from his mind told her that. He was confused and concerned but Avelyn kept him shut out; ignoring his urges to let him in.

 

Rey continued to break the enormous walls that Snoke had built all those years ago.

 

Avelyn’s eyes widened further; fear creeping into them as she tried to stop the scavenger. _‘No!’_

 

The walls broke and memories flooded into Avelyn’s mind; her screams mingling with Rey’s as they were both forced to watch the carnage that Rey had brought on them both and what Snoke had successfully hidden all these years.

 

Until now.


	30. Twenty-Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All this talk about Reylo actually being canon is making me happy.   
> I shipped those two since I saw him carry bridal style XD

_Avelyn’s dream appeared but in a much different light._

_She watched as the younger version of her went up to two people: her parents. They were smiling at her and held out their hands for her; the little chubby fingers clenching their slender ones in a tender but vice-like grip._

_“I’m so excited, momma!”_

_Her mother smiled at her as her father retrieved a small pack. “And we’re excited too, Avelyn. You’re going to become a Jedi!”_

_Avelyn’s heart leapt into her throat as it clicked._

_She had been going to Luke Skywalker’s Academy. Her parents had known of her abilities in the Force and they had been proud of her. Tears filled her vision and she blinked them away as she watched her family leave their home and continue to the transportation deck that would take them away. She looked around and saw no one else bringing their children with them; only confirming how rare it must have been on her home planet for someone to be Force sensitive; wherever her home world was._

__

\-------------------------------------------------------

Avelyn struck out at Rey; the latter blocking her first ‘saber as she Force pushed the second one away. “Get out of my head, scavenger!” Rey grit her teeth and pushed against her; bringing her ‘saber down and watching Avelyn cross her ‘sabers to block it.

 

\-------------------------------------------------------  
  
 _Rey was watching the memory with curiosity as well as confusion._

_Why had this memory been locked up so tight? What was so horrible about it? Rey felt anger burn through her at the thought of the masked female hiding this memory, the memory of her happy family, away but it vanished as she felt the emotions coming from her._

_They were feelings that mirrored her own: confusion, curiosity and Rey felt the emotion of love as well._

_Rey watched as the tiny family walked through the streets of the huge city and it dawned on her that the walls she had broken down did not feel like the female’s presence. They felt much older and more powerful than anything Rey had ever felt and she shivered as she remembered the power radiating off of them._

_But she came to a conclusion: someone had hid this memory away from the female and Rey had set it free._

_*_

_Avelyn continued watching the memory unfold before her; ignoring the scavenger who was watching it along with her._

_Her little self skipped between her two parents and they softly talked to each other. The pride and joy that radiated off of them made the dark female smile; she never remembered her parents like this but only in bits and pieces._

_But a noise drew her away from her family as she recognized it as Tie-Fighters._

_Her brow furrowed as she watched them shoot at buildings._

_But this, this wasn’t right. The Empire or The First Order didn’t attack her home, the New Republic did._

_Her eyes widened as she watched her parents faces fill with fear; the crying that came from the child version of herself filling her ears._

**_Had it all been a lie?_ **

__

\----------------------------------------------------  
  
Luke struck at the female; her eyes almost glazed over as she continued to fight.

 

He was impressed as he knew that Rey had attacked her mind and was still in it; unable to get out. His apprentice had the same glazed over look and her moves were sluggish while the masked females were jerky; as if she was terrified and instinct had kicked in.

 

His ‘saber sliced her arm and she hissed; swiping at his neck as he backed away. She kicked the scavenger back, staggering a little, as her breathing got heavier.

 

**“Get out of my head!”**

 

\----------------------------------------------------  
  
 _A building collapsed near her family._

_Her mother shrieked and she had screamed; her father rushing to protect them. Stones that would have fallen on her child self stopped midair as she held her hands above her head; using the Force to stop them. She flung them away from her; big salty tears pouring down her dirty, chubby cheeks. Sobs were coming from the tiny figure as she looked around._

_“Momma! Daddy!”_

_Avelyn felt her chest tighten._

_She knew her dream had been a memory but this was not how she thought it would actually be._

_*_

_Rey watched the tiny child cry out for her parents; looking around for them as well. She spotted them at the same time the little girl had and she watched her run to them; dodging falling building and other debris._

_A noise went through the air and Rey felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up. A red lightsaber rose up from behind the little girl’s father and he screamed as he was cut down; her mother reaching for her little girl before, she too, was struck down._

_The tiny child screamed a piercing scream and the male figure that held the lightsaber looked down at her._

_*_

_Avelyn screamed as well as she watched her whole world come crashing down._

_*_

_The scream that came from the dark female pierced Rey’s heart._

_She could tell the figure was not Kylo Ren and she was surprised to feel the relief of knowing this knowledge flow through her. The figure walked over to her and raised a hand over head and the child fell; the male picking her up like a ragdoll before continuing down the destroyed street._

_*_

_Everything went dark as Avelyn shook; her mind hurting from the attack from Rey and the memory keeping her in place._

_Another scene appeared and she recognized it as Snoke’s domain._

_Her child self trembled like a leaf as she stood before Snoke; the male that had taken her stood to the side. Snoke was talking to him as he ran his long, grey fingers through her hair; tiny sobs escaping the small trembling lips. Avelyn couldn’t make out what Snoke was saying but she held in a scream as Snoke choked the male before comforting the small, shrieking child before him. Seconds later, a few cries escaped her smaller self as Snoke held his hand over her hair._

_Moments later, the small figure stopped and looked up at Snoke with a look Avelyn couldn’t quite decipher. Snoke continued to run his fingers through her hair._

**_“It’s alright, my little star. The Republic will pay for the deaths of your parents.”_ **

_Avelyn choked on a sob as she realized that the very being she had come to depend on, the being she had killed and done monstrous things for, was the one who was responsible for her parents death._

**_And he had lied to her._ **

_**** _

__\---------------------------------------------------------__ _ _  
__ _ __  
_A scream tore itself from Avelyn’s throat.

 

The memory had taken her concentration off of the battle and the scavenger had gotten in a lucky hit.

 

Her stomach burned with pain as she struggled to keep standing. Her head was throbbing and was the worse pain she had ever felt in her life. She screamed again; sending forth a burst of the Force which sent the two Light side users flying. The figures hit the walls and dropped to the ground; groaning and barely moving.

 

Avelyn squeezed her eyes shut as she moved out of the hanger.

 

She needed to get to her shuttle; needed to get to Snoke.

 

A trooper came up to her and she narrowed her eyes at him. “ _Kill them all and destroy everything._ ”

 

She stumbled into her shuttle as she instructed her pilots to take her to Snoke.

 

Kylo Ren was _frantically_  trying to get her to lower her remaining walls as pain filtered into the bond.

 

But all Avelyn did was curl herself into a ball in her mind and keep him out.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, writing these chapters killed me. I'm so mean to my OC's.


	31. Thirty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because it's Valentine's Day and I love you guys soooooo much, here's a chapter ^-^

The gash on her stomach burned with pain as her pilots flew through the galaxy.

 

The memory replayed itself over and over again in her mind; the dawning truth that she wished she never knew becoming more and more real.

 

Snoke had had an apprentice before her and Kylo. That same apprentice had _murdered_  her parents in front of her before taking her to Snoke. Her master - _that monster_  - had killed his apprentice and taken the truth away from her; hiding it from her.

 

And then he had raised her after his own image: into a cruel, heartless monster.

 

When the shuttle touched down in the hangar bay of Snoke’s castle, she stumbled across its thresh-holds; her mind in a head splitting pain. His presence had grown the nearer they had gotten to his domain and his anger was powerful in her mind. She had held back all kinds of noises in the shuttle as pain ripped through her head; the gash on her stomach practically forgotten.

 

She forced the doors to his throne room open and stumbled up to the steps; Snoke standing as he looked down at her. Looking into his black eyes, she knew that he was __very__ aware of the state her mind was in.

 

“Supreme Leader...”

 

His fists clenched as he slowly walked down the stairs. “I specifically told you, Avelyn, to leave any wall I built in your mind alone.” She licked her lips. “Forgive me, Master, but the scavenger-”

 

“This is the second time excuse I have heard that had to do with her!”

 

“She’s grown stronger! I underestimated her and I paid the price!”

 

Avelyn felt Snoke savagely go through her mind and she cried out as the pain flared. She had fixed the walls around her mind before they had arrived and she was so very thankful that Kylo could see nor hear any of the things that was happening. He was on the outskirts of the bond; a dangerous, brooding storm that was willing to tear planets apart for her.

 

Just to keep her safe.

 

Snoke repaired the walls in her mind; ripped the memory from the places it had fallen and shoved them back into hiding. By the time he was done, Avelyn was lying on the floor; pain searing throughout her body. Her pants were muffled by her mask as Snoke turned from her and went back to his throne; the female weakly getting up as he sat down. “I’ve had enough of these childish games that Hux and you two apprentices have been playing.” Avelyn looked up at him; grasping her stomach. “It is time to end this war and defeat the Resistance. I will look for the General myself and when I find her, Avelyn,” his beady eyes narrowed at her,”you will bring her to me.”

 

He leaned forward. “Do you understand, my star?”

 

She nodded weakly. “Yes, Supreme Leader.”

 

He flicked his hand. “Go back and wait on the Destroyer.” The female weakly walked out of the throne room; pain coursing through her body with every step. She slowly made her way back towards her shuttle; her pilots just finishing up with refueling. Telling them to set a course back to the Destroyer, she curled up in the back of the shuttle; holding her stomach protectively. There was a med kit on board but she didn’t have the strength to get it. All her remaining strength was on keeping Kylo out of her mind; keeping him from seeing. She just wanted to let him in and soothe away the pain and take away all the memories but her pride stopped her.

 

Because she, Avelyn the Dark One, had never felt so broken before this moment.

 

Her eyes filled up with tears as pain coursed through her body and she did the only thing she knew to do.

 

She let the darkness take over her.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
_”Momma! Daddy!”_

**_Please no._ **

_X-Wings flew over head until they blurred; the images sharpening to have them replaced with Tie-Fighters._

**_I don’t want to see._ **

_She saw her parents and she ran for them._

**_No, no, no!_ **

_A green lightsaber slowly began to glow red as her parents were struck down; the blurred figured soon taking shape of the male apprentice and his ‘saber burning that sickening red._

**_I don’t want to remember!_ **

_She stood before Snoke as he killed his own apprentice._

**_Please no!_ **

_Pain coursed through her head as the walls were built; his promise of destroying the Republic echoing in her ears._

**_You turned me into a monster._ **

**_**** _ **

__\-----------------------------------------------------_ _ __  
_ _

Avelyn’s eyes snapped open just as the shuttle was landing.

 

She snatched her lightsabers from off the floor where they had fallen from her grasp and quickly fled to her quarters. With her robe forgotten on the island, she no longer felt comfortable as she hurriedly opened her door; stumbling into her room as the door closed.

 

Almost ripping her shirt over her head, she hissed and glanced down at herself. Her stomach and arm were charred black from where Skywalker and the scavenger had landed hits on her and she knew that they at least carried some wounds as well. She bit her tongue as pain flashed through her mind and body as she stumbled to the fresher, grabbed the med kit and threw it on the table. Her hands were shaking uncontrollably and she got frustrated as she couldn't open the kit; cursing as her fingers wouldn’t cooperate. She ripped the talons from them and her mask from her face as she let out a sob; falling back onto the table.

 

_‘Kylo....’_

__

As if on cue, his presence suddenly appeared and she choked on a sob as she felt him on the Destroyer. She knew he was looking for her and she didn’t bother hiding her own presence from him.

 

She couldn’t even if she tried.

 

His presence grew as he stalked through the Destroyer to her and she gripped the table behind her. She never had needed anyone other than Snoke in her life but at this moment she was so _relieved_  to have him. She had come to terms with what was between them but she had never been so grateful for it until now.

 

Because she _needed_  him.

 

Her door opened and she looked up at him; watching his hands take off his helmet and his eyes shine bright with concern when they were visible to her.

 

“ _Force_ , Avelyn…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter was such a pleasure to write, oh my gooooosh  
> I can't wait for you guys to read it x)


	32. Thirty-One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's this account I follow on insta who keeps posting all this Reylo stuff and it's giving me feels XD

Avelyn tried to keep how much pain she was in from showing but she knew she was failing miserably.

 

Kylo stepped quickly inside her room and she hissed as his gloved fingers brushed against the gash on her stomach. He felt along her walls and found them still standing strong as he looked for an entrance. She watched him as he surveyed the damage done to her body before laying his helmet on the table and removing his cowl; his gloves soon following. Biting her lip as pain shot through her body, he lifted her onto the table and he murmured an apology before opening the med kit; looking up at her.

 

“ _What the kriffing hell happened?_ ”

 

She quickly turned away from him but he already saw what she was trying to hide - shame, anger, pain - but it was the last emotion that made him blink with surprise and worry.

 

She had _betrayal_  in her eyes.

 

He grabbed a piece of black fabric that was stuck in her stomach wound and she snatched his arm; gritting her teeth as he pulled it out. “It was a trap. The actual base was on the other island; not the one you were directed to.” She tried not to breathe heavily as he tore open a packet of bacta gel; a cry catching itself in her throat as he smeared it over the gash.

 

He really wanted her put in a bacta tank but held his tongue as she continued to talk.

 

“I followed the presence from before and it lead me to that second island where your uncle and the scavenger were.”

 

He nodded and he grabbed another packet.

 

“Your mother was there as well.”

 

His hand froze midair and he almost dropped the gel; looking up at her face. Avelyn was looking down at him; pain shining so brightly in her eyes. “She escaped though. Skywalker and the girl caught me in a duel.”

 

There was more but she was holding her breath as he placed several bacta patches over the gash; bandaging it up as she bit her tongue till it almost bled. His hands slowly traveled up her sides when he was done; her smooth skin warm under his touch. He quickly returned to the task at hand and applied the same treatment to her arm as she refused to look at him. Slowly making his way across the bond, he waited outside her walls while he bandaged her arm; closing the med kit when he was done.

 

He stopped short when he saw her start to tremble.

 

“Avelyn?”

 

She breathed in a sob as she squeezed her eyes shut; shaking uncontrollably. Kylo had never seen in her like this, never had seen her fall apart, and it _scared_  him. He placed a hand on her cheek as a sob tore itself out of her throat.

 

“ _Kylo _.”__

 

His heart clenched at the sound of her voice; at the sound of his name. She had never, ever lost her composure like this; trying so hard to keep it together as she basically whimpered his name like a silent cry for help. He gently took her face in both hands; trying to hold her steady as she shook.

 

“The scavenger- she broke through my walls. She broke through _his_  walls.”

 

The walls that Snoke had built that he had always questioned silently.

 

“I-I saw my parents. I watched them _die _.__ ”

 

She placed her hands on his wrists as she desperately tried to keep the tears in. “ ** _He lied to me._** ”

 

He could feel her through their bond, feel her pain as her mind sorted, yet again, through what she had seen; what she had witnessed. Kylo remembered the moment he knew something had happened. She had slammed their connection shut and he was left on the outskirts; a mess of a thing as he frantically tried to get through her walls. He had still been cut off when she had gone back to Snoke but he knew she had gone to him when he felt the anger coming from the grey humanoid; the endless pain slinking to his side of the bond as Snoke practically massacred her mind to rebuild those walls and fix what had been undone. She had screamed through their connection; unable to hold it in and he felt like dying when he heard it. But the damage had been done and he saw it in her eyes how _broken_  it had left her; how shamefully broken she had become.

 

“ _Kylo _.”__

__

And now it was his turn to pick up the pieces.

 

He pushed gently against their connection; caressing it in a way he never knew existed in him. It took a few seconds for her to open the connection again and he swarmed in; wrapping himself around her in a comforting way as he placed himself between her and the pain. He drew himself closer to her shaking form; carefully checking her bandages as he dealt with the wounds in her mind. He leaned his forehead against her’s; one hand on her cheek and the other traveled down to grip her hip as she scrambled to grasp onto his shoulders. He was trying to be so gentle, trying so hard not to hurt her anymore than she already was; _trying so hard to be like her_. Bits and pieces of a forgotten memory floated past him and he saw what had plagued her every night since she was a child.

 

And he saw the truth that she now had to deal with

 

Her hands abandoned their posts at his shoulders only to fist the front of his cloak with her fingers.

 

“ _Please help me_.”

 

His heart broke for the girl in his arms; for the girl he recently realized he loved.

 

He slid one arm around her waist as the other one slid under her knees; gently bringing her closer to him. She clutched at his cloak and sobs wrecked her body as he walked around the room; leaning against her bed alcove before slowly sliding down to settle on the floor with her comfortably on his lap. He reached up and grabbed the blanket from the bed, wrapping it around her shoulders before tucking it tightly around her body. Leaning his forehead against her’s, he reached up and brushed the tears that were falling down her cheeks.

 

Her eyes looked at him like he was the only thing she knew to be true and real.

 

He nudged her nose with his and tilted her head back as he captured her lips; going to work in her mind.

 

_Keeping a tight grasp on her trembling presence, he filtered through the memory snippets; quietly putting them in places where they wouldn’t hurt her but she could at least find them. He felt her bruised mind shudder as he gently and calmly cleaned up the mess that Snoke had hurriedly covered up; Kylo desperately trying to be as gentle as he could with the broken memory pieces._

 

Once he was done, he pulled back from her mind and hovered over her presence; his lips leaving her’s as she breathed a sob of relief. He nudged her forehead with his.

 

“ _Let me in_.”

 

She knew he wasn’t talking about her mind; he had already become acquainted and familiar with it as she had his. Her heart clenched almost painfully as she brought herself closer to him; his grip tightening around her. Tears continued to flow freely as she whimpered against his lips.

 

“ _You already are_.”

__

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter gave me some serious Avelo feels.  
> Like can you now imagine a smut scene with the two of them and Avelyn starts crying because Kylo is so gentle with her?  
> On second thought, don't imagine it. It makes me want to cry and cuddle up in a corner.


	33. Thirty-two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently we're supposed to get a trailer teaser for The Last Jedi and really it's about damn time.

Avelyn slowly cracked open her eyes.

 

She had fallen asleep while Kylo had gently held her presence in his and she was slightly proud of herself for not having a rehash of the first time he had held her. His heartbeat was now comforting instead of an annoying sound; his presence something she couldn’t live without.

 

And she knew that he felt the same way about her.

 

He was still keeping the pain in her mind at bay but she could still feel it as it slowly trickled past his barricade little by little. She had woken several times during their slumber, her screams jerking him awake and causing him to wrap himself more tightly around her; her fingers clenching his robe in a vice-like grip as she breathed heavily against him. He had stayed awake until she had fallen back asleep; something she was never knew she would have been grateful for.

 

She had known this bond would have changed them and before she was skeptical of it’s effects. But now, she greedily took all that he gave her and he took all she had.

 

They were two broken people who had found a way to make the other one whole.

 

Snoke would not be pleased.

 

But as her hatred for the grey humanoid grew, she found she did not care. He had done the unthinkable; twisted and manipulated her for his own benefit. And as much as she wanted to stray away from him, she found she could not. Doing so would mean certain death and she knew Kylo would pay a heavy price for it.

 

Something she could not bear to see happen.

 

Movement made her look up at him to see his eyes flutter before slowly opening; his gaze finding hers very quickly. A small smile graced his lips; one she noticed he had every time he looked at her before hiding it when she would look back. A soft, gentle caress brushed her mind and she shuddered at the intensity at it. His eyes flashed with concern as he took in the condition of her bruised mind; finding a very little difference than how it had been hours ago. Her eyes searched his and he leaned his forehead against hers. “We should see if Hux has found anything.”

 

But she shook her head. “There’s no need. Snoke has told us to stand down.”

 

His expression changed to one of confusion. “Why would he want that?” Avelyn went to sit up and he helped her; pain flashing through her face. “He’s tired of the cat and mouse game Hux has been playing. He had his chance at redeeming his mistake and it’s got us practically nowhere.”

 

But Kylo knew that wasn’t the reason why.

 

“It’s mainly about what happened, isn’t it?”

 

She froze, her body tensing, and just sat there; staring ahead. “Yes.” Kylo took her face in his hands again and forced her to look at him. “That wasn’t your fault.” Unshed tears shone in her eyes. “I should have been more composed but I underestimated her.” He shook his head and opened his mouth to speak but she cut him off.

 

“ _He_  taught me how to keep other minds out of my head. The walls I have were built with _his_  help and I have the power to hold them up but I lost to a _scavenger.”_

 

Kylo pulled her closer to him. “She lets rage fuel her and that’s all she has going for her, Avelyn.” He caught a fleeting thought in her mind and bristled at it.

 

**_The monster he created lost to a scavenger._ **

 

“You can’t beat yourself up for that.”

 

Avelyn’s gaze looked down and he rubbed his thumb over her right cheek. He looked down at the bandage that wrapped around her middle; eyes glancing away at the black fabric that covered her chest. “We need to change your bandages.” She nodded and sucked in a breath as he moved from underneath her; pulling her up with him. Her eyes squeezed shut; her jaw clenching. “It’d be easier to just heal them.” He stood still and she opened her eyes to look at him. After a few minutes, he nodded slowly. His front was solid against her back as he allowed her to lean against him as he undid the bandages; pain flaring in her mind. He let it be as he knew - _oh did he know_  - that she was trying to compose herself again; to bring the cold face person she had grown into back.

 

The bandages slipped off and his hand wandered over the gash; the skin a sickening, inflamed red. His free hand gripped her around the shoulders and she snatched onto his arm as he began to Force heal her. A few noises escaped her mouth as the skin and muscles stitched themselves back together; little by little. His grip tightened each time she jerked and he leaned his head against hers.

 

It felt like and eternity but finally he was done.

 

She took a shuddering breath as he finished; his hand resting on the bandage of her arm. “This one too?” Avelyn shook her head. “I’ll do that one.” She could hear him nod his head and released her shoulders as she straightened her stance. “Go get cleaned up, Kylo. There’s not much to do.”

 

_I can think of some things._

 

Avelyn rolled her eyes as she felt Kylo hum through the bond; taking her mind off the pain and focusing on him. “Later, Ren.” He slid a finger under her chin and turned her head; meeting her lips with his. He felt satisfaction race through his system as she relaxed some more; something she only did when around him.

 

She pulled back and pushed him away; motioning toward the door.

 

“Go, Kylo.”

 

He stood still for a few seconds before drawing her near and kissing her forehead; her eyes slipping closed. His warmth soon left her and the whoosh of her door told her he had listened to her commands. She took a shuddering breath and looked toward the space she last saw him.

 

Snoke’s command rang in her head and she wished with everything in her that she could disobey him; turn her back towards him and refuse. But refusal was not an option; no matter how many scenarios Avelyn played out in her head. She took a deep breath and bit her lip as a bubble formed at the base of her skull.

 

She hoped Kylo would be able to forgive her when she delivered his mother to Snoke.

 

But at the moment, she was more intrigued with this new Force presence that had just blossomed in her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *dances around throwing Avelo feels everywhere*


	34. Thirty-Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so so so so sorry I've been AWOL. I didn't have internet for two weeks but I have it back now, thank goodness.

Avelyn stepped out of the fresher; her eyes glancing at the mirror at the two newest scars that adorned her body.

 

Her jaw clenched and she shook her head as she walked back into her room. They would be the painful reminders of the day before; the nagging voices in her head of things she did not know and things she needed to remember. Avelyn finished dressing and donning her mask before looking at the table; a sea of black covering the surface.

 

She gently picked up Kylo’s mask and held the cool helmet in her palms. It was almost identical to the one he had months ago before Starkiller; as she would see it whenever she was in the presence of Snoke during their hologram debriefings. The helmet had less scratches though; less scuff marks than the previous one and she set it down. His cowl was the next thing she picked up and fingered the soft fabric as the presence once again pulsed in her mind. She bit her lip and slowly wrapped the cowl around her neck; tossing it up onto her head like a hood. Grabbing her talons from the table where she ripped them off with haste, she slipped them onto her fingers before grabbing her twin ‘sabers; clipping them into her belt.

 

Grabbing the mask once more, she followed the faint presence of Kylo; never reaching out over the bond to find him. She didn’t need to anymore. Finding him was like finding Snoke, she could just feel him without trying. She smiled softly behind her mask as she moved closer to where Kylo was present; his own room to be exact. As if feeling her, the door opened and the dark male stood before her; his eyes roaming over her face. Holding up his helmet, she made a motioning to it with he head. “You left this behind.”

 

Kylo reached up and grabbed it from her; their fingers brushing before she let go. His eyes flickered to his cowl around her neck and Avelyn felt her cheeks heat up. “Hope you don’t mind. I lost my robe back on the island.” He shook his head; a small smirk gracing his lips. “No, I don’t. Looks good on you.”

 

Her eyes twinkled with amusement. “Careful, Kylo. Some might think you’re going soft.”

 

He chuckled and tilted his head back; Avelyn glancing over the length of the scar on his face. The presence in the base of her skull pulsed again and Kylo looked down at her. “Is it Skywalker?” The female shook her head. “No, it’s different. But whatever or whoever it is, it’s patient; very patient.” She looked up at him. “Which is another reason why I came by.” His eyes studied hers for a split second. “I’m coming with you.”

 

“No.”

 

Kylo’s brow furrowed and he opened his mouth to speak; Avelyn cutting him off. “You need to stay here for when Snoke calls you. Being halfway across the galaxy will not help you in that situation.” He nodded slowly and bent down to kiss her forehead. She relaxed and brought her hands up to hold his face; her talons cool against his skin. Pulling back, she searched his face. “If anything goes wrong, I’ll contact you.”

 

He nodded and she was gone in an instant; the presence of her power lingering in the air before slowly fading away.

 

\--------------------------------------------------------

Avelyn had just instructed her pilot to ready her shuttle when Hux approached her.

 

“And where might you be going?”

 

She looked at the general. “There’s a disturbance in the Force and it called to me. I’m investigating like I always do.” He clasped his hands behind his back. “I don’t have to tell you what Snoke has ordered, do I?” Annoyance rose deep within Avelyn but she held her tongue. “I knew before you did what he ordered, General. However, that order was directed at our attempts to snuff out the Resistance; not my affairs in investigating Force presences.”

 

“Ren tells me you had a run in with Skywalker and the scavenger.”

 

Avelyn breathed deeply. She knew Kylo would have told Hux, as it was his duty to, but she couldn’t help the annoyance that flared at his words. “I did. And no, the presence is not him.” Hux nodded and swept one hand before him. “Proceed then.”

 

Suppressing her annoyance from further blossoming, the dark female strode to her shuttle to find her Death Troopers waiting beside it. She bit her lip from inside her mask and once more focused on the presence. It was calm and felt surprisingly patient; as if it was truly waiting for her to find it. Turning toward her troopers, she raised a hand. “I do not require you for this mission. Rest. If Snoke needs us, we will answer.”

 

They all nodded at her and Avelyn felt almost sick when she mentioned Snoke; the memory flashing through her mind once more. She hid the wince from her troopers before walking into her shuttle; Kylo emerging from his side of their bond at the feeling of her pain. He caressed her presence and she was thankful she was alone in the hub of her shuttle as a shudder went down her spine; her mind still sensitive from the previous day. She slowly put her walls up as he gave her once last touch before he was shut out.

 

She called out the direction her pilot should take as the presence pulsed stronger than it had been before.

 

\------------------------------------------------

Avelyn furrowed her brow as she looked at the forested planet before her.

 

She turned to her pilot. “What planet is this?” The pilot hit a few buttons until an identical hologram of the planet appeared. “Devaron.” Avelyn furrowed her brows and nodded. “Take us in.”

 

Her pilot maneuvered the shuttle and they soon entered the planets atmosphere. Huge trees and vegetation obstructed their view some as the trooper looked for a clearing to land. Avelyn waited as the presence started to pulse faster and stronger in her mind; the urge to find the source flowing through her veins.

 

In time, the pilot did find a clearing and Avelyn instructed him to stay behind as she left the shuttle. Taking a deep breath, she let her power run free and followed the way it led her; a small cloud forming in the base of her skull from the presence. She hissed at the intensity of it and gritted her teeth as she continued to walk; climbing over fallen trees and maneuvering through entanglements of vines.

 

She soon saw a huge, stone structure through the thick vegetation and she felt the Force move and flow around it; the presence pushing her towards the building. But she hesitated as the Force was that of the Light side and she wondered what this presence even was. It seemed to be very much and the thought of it even being a long lost Jedi crossed her mind; one she dismissed immediately. They had all been killed in the Jedi Purge or in the massacre led by Kylo many moons ago.

 

At least that’s what she had believed before the scavenger came into the light.

 

Shaking her head, she continued to the structure and finally arrived an hour later. She unclipped a lightsaber and held it tightly as she slowly made her way into the old building.

 

There were two things she noticed as she entered.

 

One: this used to be a temple of some kind.

 

And two: she was not alone.

 

_“Hello, Avelyn.”_

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I saw Beauty and the Beast and literally have feels. I love that movie so much and the little child me was very pleased.


	35. Thirty-Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *laughs nervously while rubbing the back of my neck* Heyy everyone, I'm not dead yet.

Avelyn spun around, ‘saber ignited, but stopped when she saw what was behind her.

 

A blue, male figure stood in the doorway of the temple; his hands hidden by his robe’s long sleeves. She cursed silently and powered her ‘saber down as the figure just stared at her. The male’s hair went a little passed his shoulders and Avelyn could make out facial hair on his face.

 

“ _You do not wish to attack?_ ”

 

His baritone voice was surprisingly soothing but Avelyn knew better than to let her guard down. “Attacking with a lightsaber would be foolish. You’re a Force ghost. I’m sure nothing can remotely harm you.” The blue male started to walk towards her and Avelyn started to back up. Her eyes darted around until she stopped; looking at the architect of the walls. A feeling started to creep up her spine and she shuddered; glaring at the Force ghost in front of her. “Where am I?”

 

“ _You’re in the Temple of Eedit. It was built a great many years ago before the Clone Wars for the Devaron Jedi to train and stay. _”__

__

“Until Darth Vader sought out all the Jedi.”

 

The blue figure nodded and Avelyn narrowed her eyes; the raw power of the Force flowing around her. She could feel it in the air and in the walls; with every breathe she took, it was there. Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, she willed herself to keep calm in the presence of this place. She opened them again. “And who are you?”

 

“ _My name is Qui-Gon Gin. I was a Jedi Master before I was killed by a Sith Lord_.”

 

Avelyn furrowed her brow. “You were alive before the Clone Wars.” Qui Gon nodded. “ _Yes, I was. You can even go further and say I was the one who was going to be a mentor to Anakin Skywalker._ ”

 

Brown eyes grew wide and taloned fingers gripped a lightsaber. “You knew Darth Vader before he became, well-”

 

“ _Yes, I did._ ”

 

The dark female stood still for a minute before clipping her ‘saber to her belt. She looked up at the Force ghost with an intense stare. “Where are the others?” The sensation of several Force ghosts materializing sent a shiver down her spine; the Force pulsing violently in her mind.

 

“ _You are very gifted in the Force._ ”

 

Avelyn grit her teeth as the new presences crowded her. “You knew that already. It’s why you let me find you.” Her eyes looked up at the newcomers; the blue figures coming to stand around Qui-Gon. The smallest one, a creature Avelyn had never even seen, hummed. “ _Very observant she is. But very dark and full of rage her soul has become. Light does not shine in her. But it has touched her, it has.”_ The small ghost took several tiny steps toward her. _“Yoda, my name is. Very powerful you are.”_

 

Avelyn took her eyes off Yoda before glancing up at the other two ghosts; her hand twitching which caused her talons to clack against each other. The older of the two ghosts stepped forward. “ _I am Ben Kenobi, Avelyn, and this is Anakin Skywalker._ ”

 

The dark female’s eyes widened slightly. “You’re who Kylo was named after and you’re-”

 

Anakin nodded. “ _His grandfather _.__ ” Avelyn swallowed and made sure her Force walls were fortified. She honestly did not want Kylo knowing what was going on or that his grandfather which he had almost worshiped was standing before her.

 

“Why do you want me here?”

 

She felt vulnerable in this open space and all she had to hide in was Kylo’s cowl and her mask. Many accounts had told how Force ghosts were practically untouchable being as they are dead but also because they are one with the Force. The power that twirled around these deceased Jedi was fascinating as Avelyn focused on it. It flowed more around Yoda than the others which made sense to the female; his presence seeming more powerful than her’s. She turned her focus onto him. “And what do you mean I’ve been touched by the Light?”

 

The small creature rested his hands on one another. “ _The Darkness flows around you, it does. Fear and hate are very strong in your presence. But you have touched Light, hm, yes you have. Touched the Light of a broken soul your own has done. But the Darkness keeps it from reaching you; like a protection, hm _.__ ” One of his ears twitched. “ _Familiar this feeling is in you; I have felt before. A certain padwan who was manipulated by the Dark side, they were _.__ ”

 

Avelyn glanced over at Anakin Skywalker and saw his eyes were downcast. She knew the story behind his fall; that he was blinded by the need to save his wife from death. The account that she had read was very brief, however; only talking about the massacre of the Jedi Temple back in the day. Her eyes shifted to each ghost; each one keeping their attention on her. “You’re talking about Kylo.”

 

It wasn’t a question and she said it without a hint of doubt.

 

Avelyn suppressed a shudder when she thought of the little ball of Light that she found in Kylo. She found a sort of relieving feeling when she had felt it; her mind drifting back to when they first reconstructed the bond to fit them. But that’s just what it was; a small presence that could not overpower the darkness and certainly not the dark in her. Her brows furrowed as Yoda nodded before the ghost of Obi-wan drew closer.

 

“ _The Light is a powerful thing, Avelyn _.__ ” He turned to Anakin and they shared an exchange without using words before he focused back on her. “ _If Kylo still has it, he can be saved._ ”

 

“What do you mean ‘saved’?

 

Anakin finally spoke up. “ _We want to show you something; that’s why your here. You know that Snoke won’t hesitate to kill anyone who doesn’t suit his needs. We have been watching you through the Force; watching Kylo. The bond you have formed and share is a beautiful thing and it was given to you for a reason._ ”

 

The dark female shook her head. “I took it from a scavenger. It was not given to me freely nor did it form on it’s own.”

 

“ _But the Force **allowed**_   _you to reform it as your own _.__ ”

 

Avelyn looked at the ghost with an uncertain look; a sensation creeping into her chest that she had no clue what it was. “But what do you want from me?”

 

Anakin gave her a look; a look she had often seen on Kylo’s face. It was a warm, loving look and she felt a pang in her chest as she looked back at him.

 

“ _We want to show you what the future will hold if you choose to continue walking down this path _.”__

__

Avelyn gasped as her chest tightened painfully and she slipped into darkness; the hold of Anakin Skywalker all around her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry I haven't uploaded in a while! Life is busy and if I don't have inspiration, writing does jack shit. Buuuuut I have some now and we are almost to the end soooo I should be uploading more here in the next week or so.


	36. Thirty-Five

_Avelyn opened her eyes to herself on a sandy planet that was all too familiar and felt Anakin wrap his mind around her’s in a comforting but strong hold._

_Her walls were still high and strong; Kylo would not be able to feel this unfamiliar presence around her and she almost sighed with relief. The other Force ghosts touched her mind and she shuddered; taking deep breaths._ “What am I doing here?”

__

_“ **We’re showing you the journey Ben Solo is doomed to take unless you can help him.** ”_

_Avelyn felt confusion as she watched a young boy say goodbye to his mother; Qui-Gon in the background. The boy promised his mother that he would come back for her; that he would free her. But his mother quietly but firmly said don’t look back. Avelyn felt a pang of sadness in her heart._ “This is you when you agreed to be a Jedi.”

 

_Anakin hummed an agreement in her mind and the scene changed to find Anakin, no longer a young boy, but now a young man. She felt pinpricks of the Dark Side in him but the Light clearly outshined the darkness. The love he had for the woman - “ **Padme’** ” Anakin whispered in her mind - was strong and unbreakable but oh so wrong in the eyes of the Jedi. But Avelyn noticed another kind of love as she watched the young Anakin and Obi-Wan converse. The love that was there was a father/son love and she could see the older Jedi deeply cared for him; a whisper of a promise to a dying Jedi gently brushed against her mind._

__

__“__ You loved her. Deeply. _ _”__

__

_An acknowledgment from Anakin confirmed this. “ **It was to be my downfall.** ” Avelyn took a shuddering breath as the scene changed once more._

_It showed Anakin with a woman; a very older, beaten, bloodied woman in a cruel looking hut. “ **My mother.** ” Avelyn swallowed thickly as she watched the scene; the dying woman’s last breath being used to say she loved her son and ultimately forgave him for leaving her behind to pursue his dream. _“__ She said don’t look back. _ _”__

__

_Anakin’s presence was filled with sorrow and guilt. “ **I should have.** ”_

_The younger Anakin was filled with an unbelievable rage but a rage Avelyn was quite familiar with. He touched over to the Dark side and slaughtered the sand people and all of the slaves that were in the camp. By sunrise, not a single soul was left alive save the young Jedi as he carefully wrapped his mother up to take her home._

_Yoda’s voice spoke to her. “ **His path to the Dark side began here, yes it did.** ”_

_And so the scene changed._

_Obi-wan and Anakin were older; the latter was definitively older. His hair was longer and the padwan braid that Avelyn knew the old ways required of them was gone. The dark female watched as he hugged his wife; the pinpricks of not one but two beings in the Force came from her stomach. She could sense the fear coming from Padme’ at the thought of the Jedi Counsel banishing Anakin and taking away his title as Jedi Knight._

_The scene quickly changed to his nightmare._

__

__“__ Why were you convinced she was going to die? _ _”__

__

__“_ **I had dreams of my mother before she died and many other dreams. My gift in the Force was able to see the future. It blinded me in many ways, however; the fear of knowing let the Dark side in.** ”_

__

_Avelyn’s jaw clenched. _“__ It’s not all bad. _ _”_ Anakin chuckled. “ **You would be the one to say that.** ”_

__

_Her heart clenched in rage but she was forced to withstand another change before she was staring at the massacre of the Jedi Temple. Anakin let his memories of a promise to save his wife trickle into her mind and she was left speechless with a clenching heart. _“__ He used you. He used and contorted the love you had for Padme’ into doing his bidding. _ _”__

__

__“_ **The Dark side became strong with the fear of losing her. The Emperor used that to his advantage and tainted my love for her. She was right when she said she didn’t know me anymore. Anakin Skywalker had been killed by the one he made me into.** ”_

__

_Avelyn swallowed thickly as she watched the little padwans be slaughtered; tears pinpricking the corner of her eyes. _“__ Like us. _ _”__

__

_A confirmation from him had her chest tightening. Snoke had used somewhat of the same method with both her and Kylo. He twisted the memories of her parents’ murder to use against her; used the rage that he had so carefully fueled for years to make her one of his perfect weapons of destruction. Kylo had been manipulated due to his want for his parents’ love; Snoke whispering sweet lies into his head at night until he was fueled by an unforgiving rage. The two of them had been warped and molded into what Snoke needed; manipulated into thinking that Snoke was right and the Dark side was the only way to go._

 

_Avelyn didn’t know until another scene appeared that she was crying._

_Her breath hitched as she saw herself and Kylo before Snoke; her eyes widening. The General was before Snoke as Avelyn and Kylo stood behind her. _“__ What is this? _ _”__

__

__“_ **Your doom.** _”_ _

__

_The dark female watched in horror as she watched Kylo take his lightsaber and kill his mother in the same fashion he had murdered his father. The look on the General’s face was one of love and forgiveness as she fell to the floor. Avelyn felt the ball of Light inside of him burn out; completely disappearing as he stood there. Snoke walked down from his throne and stood in front of him; his hand outstretching to rest on his head._

_The scream that tore out of Avelyn’s throat would haunt her for the rest of her days._

_She fell to the floor as Kylo started to scream as well; Snoke holding him in place as Avelyn sobbed on the ground. She could feel Snoke ripping Kylo’s strands out of her mind and forcefully putting his own in. The bond that they had both come to depend on was twisted and manipulated to Snoke’s use; the strands tainted and becoming a sickening, oozing black unlike her own strands._

_Avelyn screamed again as Snoke used Kylo’s own lightsaber to stab his apprentice in the heart._

_Tears fell down from her cheeks as she forced herself to come out of the Force visions; successfully breaking all four holds the Force ghosts had on her._

__

__\----------------------------------------------__ _ __  
_  
Avelyn breathed in ragged breaths as she choked on sobs; tears freely running down her cheeks as her heart clenched. Anakin stood before her; a blue hand on her shoulder as the other three ghosts looked on with guarded expressions. The dark female shivered and her mind strengthened her walls so neither Kylo nor Snoke could get in.

 

This bond was to be her downfall.

 

This bond was to be her doom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm like working on four stories, what is wrong with me?


	37. Thirty-Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uuuugh, it's getting to the end but it's also getting soooo hard to write.

“Ma’am”

 

Avelyn made it back to her shuttle and her pilot met her outside of the vehicle. Her eyes narrowed slightly as they stood at attention. “General Hux is on the comm link, ma’am. He says it’s urgent.” She stuck her hand out and the trooper put the circular object in her palm; the talons on her fingers clacking against the comm link as she gripped it. Nodding at the trooper, they turned to go back inside the shuttle as she turned to overlook the planet Devaron and brought the link to her mask.

 

“General. You said it was urgent.”

 

The link went static for a second before the baritone voice of Hux came over. “ _Have you found what you were looking for?_ ” Avelyn almost snorted. “It was an old temple that finally gathered enough Force particles to put it on my radar.”

 

“ _Pity. Snoke could use another trinket to make him happy _.__ ”

 

The dark female grit her teeth. “You said it was urgent.”

 

She could almost hear the glee behind his words at her annoyance. “ _Yes. Snoke sent us coordinates to a rebel base. Though he said you were to go alone and retrieve something to be brought back to him._ ”

 

Avelyn’s heart clenched; her walls still strong as Kylo lazily swirled on his side of the bond. “Tell him I will return to him before long.”

 

“ _Will you need assistance?_ ”

 

Silence hung in the air as Avelyn’s mind went into to hyperspeed.

 

“No. It’ll be quick.”

 

She quickly shut down the comm link before going inside her shuttle; her movements more graceful now that she didn’t have her cloak. Looking at her pilot, she rested an arm above the doorway to the cockpit. “Have you the coordinates?”

 

“Yes, ma’am.”

 

Avelyn nodded. “Take us there.”

 

The female took a seat as her pilot powered on the shuttle engines. Her walls were still standing as her thoughts returned to the Force ghosts she had just left. Avelyn took a deep breath before resting her elbows on her legs; head in her hands. Kylo could not know what she was doing, nor could he know what had transpired on Devaron.

 

\--------------------------------------------------

_Avelyn breathed deeply; her throat felt raw from screaming and her chest hurt as her lungs begged for air._

_She took a shuddering breath before looking at all four Force ghosts. “What do you even want me to do?” Anakin put his other hand on her free shoulder and looked her straight in the eye. “ **Kylo**_ can _ **be saved but it’s up to**_ you _ **to do that. You’re stronger than you know and my grandson would never do anything to put you in harms way; even if he’s ultimately sentencing himself to death. Snoke knows how deep this bond goes and in your heart, you know he does.”** He looked at her with an expression she couldn’t read and the female felt pressure in the back of her skull.“ **You, Avelyn, are the one who is to bring balance to the Force. Not me, not my son, and not my grandson; you are.** "_

****

_Avelyn felt herself start to shake and her breathing picked up. “I can’t be the Chosen One. I could never join the Light; I’m too far down the path to the Dark Side.”_

_A small smile graced Anakin’s lips. “ **The Chosen One was never supposed to be of just the Light.** ”_

_The dark female’s eyes widened and Anakin let go of her shoulders. “ **We must go. You have some troubling decisions ahead of you, Avelyn. May the Force be with you; always.** ” Avelyn watched the four ghosts disappear and their presences vanished from her senses. She stayed put as she stared at the ground; everything she had learned spiraling in her head. After a few minutes, she swallowed thickly and made her way out of the temple._

__

\----------------------------------------------------------  
  
”My lady.”

 

Avelyn looked at her pilot.

 

“We’ve arrived.”

 

She nodded and opened the back of the shuttle; warm, night air surrounding her as she stepped out into the open. Closing her eyes and breathing deeply, she allowed herself to slip into the mindset of the Dark Side; of the Force user Snoke created her to be. She opened her eyes and narrowed them before searching for the rebel base; keeping her presence compressed.

 

Moving quietly through the trees - _what was it with rebels and forests?_ -, she came upon the base and very carefully felt for any presences. She maneuvered her way through the airfield and slipped into the hangar; using the Force to make the only guard in there fall to the ground, unconscious. Avelyn stood still for a few seconds before closing her eyes and feeling out the familiar presences of the General. Her eyes snapped open when she locked on to it and she made her way down a series of halls; forcing everyone she came in contact with to slip into unconsciousness. She felt the scavenger and Skywalker’s presences pinprick her mind but forced herself to ignore them as she forced a door open; slinking in to find the General leaning over a table with papers scattered all over it.

 

The General looked up at the sound of the door and her face paled as she saw the dark female.

 

Brown eyes narrowed inside of the hood.

 

“One wrong move or word and I will kill everyone in this base.”

 

Avelyn moved further into the room and the door closed softly behind her; leaving Leia alone with her. The dark female saw her eyes look over shoulder at the door and back to her before sighing; slowly sitting down in the chair next to her. “I knew someone would come one day. I just thought I had time to perhaps plan for it.”

 

Silence met her as Avelyn stood still.

 

“You’re the one who took the bond from Rey.”

 

Avelyn took a deep breath. “I didn’t come here as a social call, General. Supreme Leader Snoke wants your appearance and I’m to bring you to him.” The older woman got up before standing in front of Avelyn and looked up into the hood. “Will my son be there?”

 

A fleeting memory fluttered through the dark female’s mind - _monsters have mothers too_  - and Avelyn swallowed thickly. “I don’t know.” Her voice sounded soft and timid but she narrowed her eyes as she composed herself. “Now you have two options here, General. You can come quietly or I will drag you back.”

 

Leia nodded and walked slowly to the door; Avelyn looking at the table in front of her. A few maps, a communicator and a tracking device laid on the furniture and the female stood still for a few minutes before taking the actual tracker in her hand; turning the device beside it on. She turned around and grabbed Leia’s upper arm and the two walked through the base; passing the unconscious rebels as they did. Avelyn led her through the forests to her shuttle and pushed her inside as she stood out in the open air. She looked down at the little device in her hand before attaching it to her shuttle; turning to look back through the woods as she did.

 

Her walls were let down a little and she let her presence be known for one second before she stopped it.

 

She walked inside her shuttle and told her pilot to take them to Snoke.

 

_Forgive me, Kylo._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My poor friend.   
> She has such a busy schedule and yet I make her edit my chapters.


	38. Thirty-Seven

The ride back to Snoke was so quiet it seemed to be pressing into every corner of Avelyn’s skull.

 

The General sat on the other side of her, face void of emotions, but her hands twitching as she clasped them together told the younger female she was very nervous. Her eyes were trained at the cockpit watching as the white light of hyperspeed glowed outside of the shuttle. Lips were pressed into a thin line and Avelyn felt uncertainty trickle into her senses.

 

Avelyn couldn’t blame her.

 

She herself had her elbows on her knees; her chin resting on the back of her clasped hands. Her walls were still very high and grounded though she could feel the uncertainty and concern from Kylo on the other side. He would gently brush against her walls and then retreat when he got no reaction from her. She knew she was being very silent and Avelyn bit her lip from inside her mask.

 

She didn’t want him to know.

 

She didn’t want him to know that she had brought his mother to her death.

 

“Where are we going?”

 

Avelyn looked at the woman sitting across from her; eyes filled with wisdom boring into her own. “I told you. Supreme Leader Snoke has requested your presence.”

 

“Why is that?”

 

The younger female snorted. “I’m sure you have some idea of why.” The General’s eyes betrayed her as they told her that yes, she did have some idea. Avelyn shook her head slowly.

 

“Why did he send you? Why not send my son?”

 

Avelyn’s gaze dropped to the floor; unable and unwilling to answer the woman’s question. It wasn’t like she needed an answer anyway. Anyone who knew of the situation would know Snoke sent her because he did not trust Kylo to bring his mother to him. His father was easy; he had never really been home all that much and his mother was the only one he had been close to. Though she had always been busy with her diplomatic and counsel duties, she still brought him along on her jobs; even if it was to leave with his nanny while she worked. But it didn’t matter because it was his mother; the one who nurtured and loved him whenever she had the chance.

 

But it was clearly not enough has her son had turned to the Dark side at such a young age.

 

The craving of belonging somewhere came in the form of Snoke; not his mother. But Avelyn knew - _she knew_ \- that he would have found someway to save his mother from Snoke. Because no matter what, she knew that Kylo loved his mother.

 

And Snoke had asked Avelyn to bring her to her death.

 

“I don’t have to answer that question.”

 

But the General didn’t let up. “Does my son know I’m being brought before Snoke? Does he know you’re the one who’s doing it?”

 

Brown eyes flashed violently and a great power flooded the shuttle; the General’s chest clenching as she felt it. “I would be careful what questions you ask and how you ask them, General. Now I’d advice you to hold your tongue and be silent.” The General looked at he with surprise and hint of fire in her eyes; which Avelyn would have snorted in amusement at if she wasn’t so aware of the situation at hand.

 

Silence enveloped the shuttle once again and Avelyn returned her gaze to the floor. She could feel them getting closer and close to Snoke; his presence growing in the base of her skull. Her hands clenched; talons digging into the palms of her hands as she swallowed thickly. She could feel her chest tightening by the second as she heard the shuttle begin it’s descent into the plant’s atmosphere. Avelyn could feel the fear that was slowly radiating from the older woman across from her and both stiffened when they felt the shuttle jostle.

 

They had landed.

 

And Avelyn had never hated herself as much as she did in this moment.

 

She stood up straight; her jaw clenching and pressing against her mask. Her eyes turned toward the General and nodded at her with her head. “Up.” The old woman slowly rose and Avelyn grabbed her upper bicep; walking down the ramp as she tugged her along.

 

They were met with the sight of the Knights of Ren lining the ramp; no doubt Snoke had sent them. Avelyn tensed up as she walked past them; their hungry gaze on her and the General. They all followed as they made their way to Snoke’s throne room; Avelyn shoving the doors aside. It was dark but she could clearly see Snoke on his throne and one other figure on the ground floor as they turned to look at them.

 

Avelyn’s heart clenched.

 

Kylo’s eyes widened.

 

The dark female’s chest tightened further as she felt the betrayal and hurt coming from Kylo through her walls. Avelyn kept up her facade, however; leaving her face void of emotions as she came to stand off to the side with the General. The old woman was looking at Kylo with glistening with tears as she looked at her son and Avelyn couldn’t look at them; her eyes trained on Snoke. The humanoid was pleased with what she had done; the deed she had accomplished for him. Here was his chance to end the Resistance for without the General, the galaxy princess and hero of her time, people would abandon the cause for rebellion and allow the First Order to rule the galaxy; Snoke sitting on his throne with his precious little star at his side.

 

Avelyn felt like she was going to be sick.

 

“Well done, my star.”

 

The dark female swallowed thickly; ignoring Kylo’s gaze and his fevered attempts to break her mind walls down. “Supreme Leader.”

 

The grey humanoid stood up and Avelyn felt the General tense. “General, thank you for accepting my… invitation.” The old woman held a spark of fire in her eyes. “I didn’t have much of a choice now, did I, Snoke?”

 

A grey hand was waved at Avelyn. “I apologize for any harmful words said to you. My little star knows how to get what I want and she was just following her training.” The younger female’s eyes dropped to the ground and her jaw clenched; her walls coming down as she felt she no longer had the strength to keep them up.

 

_Avelyn?_

_“I didn’t have a choice.”_

_Why is she here?_

_“He didn’t tell me. I’m sorry.”_

_Is she going to die?_

_“I’m sorry.”_

__

Avelyn risked a glance at Kylo and found his eyes swirling with emotions; too many for her to decipher. She couldn’t even sort the emotions as they raced through the bond; her own colliding brilliantly with his.

 

“This, Kylo Ren, Master of the Knights of Ren, is where you finish your training.”

 

Both apprentices froze and stared up at the grey humanoid. “You must get rid of all distractions, all ties to anyone, for your training to be complete.” He waved his hand at the General. “You know what must be done.” Beady black eyes narrowed at Kylo. “Do you hesitate?”

 

“By the grace of your training, I will not fail you.”

 

Kylo unclipped his ‘saber and the sound of the blade being unleashed echoed through the room. The sickening red burned in the darkness and his mother’s eyes twinkled with unshed tears as she stared at it. Her eyes slowly made their way up to her son’s face and she held his gaze.

 

Avelyn’s heart clenched.

 

_He won't be able to turn back after this._

 

Kylo came closer to his mother.

 

_Snoke is going to kill him._

 

Avelyn’s breath caught in her throat.

 

_The Light in him will die._

__

Dark brown eyes widened.

 

_**He can be saved. There is Light in him. Kylo can be saved but it is up to you to do that.** _

 

Taloned hands grabbed at the lightsaber clipped at her belt and she tightened her grip around it.

 

**_The Chosen One was never supposed to be of just the Light._ **

 

Kylo raised his ‘saber above his head, his presence clutching onto Avelyn’s as if his life depended on it, as he stared into his mother’s eyes. “It’s alright, Ben.”

 

He brought his ‘saber down.

 

But it never met his mother.

 

It instead met another red ‘saber that appeared in front of his mother. He looked at the clashing reds and then up to the General’s eyes. Except instead of her eyes, he met Avelyn’s dark brown ones; full of fire and determination as she held his blow.

 

Because she was not going to allow Snoke to destroy what was left of the man she loved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys.  
> I finished writing the story.  
> It is all typed out and awaiting editing.  
> I'm so excited.  
> Holy shit.  
> This has got to be the longest story I've written so far.  
> Just a few more chapters and we shall see how the story ends. ^-^


	39. Thirty-Eight

Avelyn pushed Kylo back as she took a stance before the General; pushing the older woman behind her as she did.

 

Her ‘saber glowed red at her side and she could hear the Knights behind her; their weapons tapping against their armor. She looked up at Snoke with defiance in her eyes as she gripped her lightsaber; her free hand unclipping her second one.

 

Snoke held fury in his eyes. “What is the meaning of this?”

 

Avelyn felt Kylo on his side of the bond; confusion and relief being the dominate ones of his emotions. She kept a tight hold onto his presence which was still holding onto her tightly. Snoke’s presence was like a raging storm in the base of her skull and she clenched her jaw as she tried to hold him at bay; the grey humanoid wanting to ravage her mind in punishment.

 

The dark female breathed deeply. “I won’t let you destroy him.”

 

“He’s already broken. I’m just finishing his training; fixing his broken mind.”

 

Avelyn shook her head furiously. “No, you’re breaking him. You are destroying him from the inside out. I won’t let you destroy the last part of him.” Black beady eyes stared deep into her own as Snoke started to make his way down the stairs. “I have let you stray too far from me, my little star. I have let everything you have studied and meditated on slide but no longer will I allow this rebellion inside of you to continue.” Avelyn started to back up; her ‘saber a comforting red glow beside her as she lifted her other arm to push the General back. “This bond has gone on for far too long and messed with your mind, your objectives. You live only to serve and do my bidding; remember, my little star?”

 

The young female shook her head. “Not anymore; not after everything you have done.”

 

The grey humanoid stopped; Kylo a silent statue to the side as his own ‘saber crackled. “And what is it that I have done, Avelyn?”

 

“You betrayed me! You were behind the murders of my parents and you warped my mind into what you wanted it to be. I have murdered for you, carried out orders that resulted in the deaths of hundreds and withstood all your brutal training all to find out that you lied to me!”

 

“I did what had to be done. You were such a good child, so lonely in the absence of your parents, and I overtook that role. You are here because of me, Avelyn. You are alive because I took you in.”

 

Avelyn clenched her jaw. “I won’t allow you to live any longer. I won’t allow you to destroy what’s left of Kylo. I won’t allow you to destroy what’s left of his soul.” She looked deep into those black beady eyes; those eyes that __burned__  with an anger she had never felt before as Snoke swirled in the base of her skull. “There’s still Light in him and I refuse to let you destroy it.”

 

_The dark female barreled into Kylo’s mind; the man pulsing in surprise as she made her way to the wall that she had built all those months ago. She tore down those walls, ripped them up from the roots and she almost sighed in relief when the Light exploded from it’s confinement. Kylo was shocked and she could feel him resist the Light; just like Snoke had taught him. Avelyn wrapped her own presence around his in a gentle hold and whispered one simple phrase._

_“ **Just let it in.** ”_

__

Avelyn came back to the present by a furious Snoke who was trying to force his way into her mind; to force his way in like he had done so many times before. But Avelyn was like a dark, swirling hurricane; she was powerful because of his training and he now knew that he should have done what he wanted to do before. To bend and break her so that she would be too afraid to even think about betraying him.

 

But he hadn’t and now it was too late.

 

The dark female felt Snoke launch himself at the bond and she smacked into him; wrapping her presence not just around her own mind but also around the bond and Kylo’s mind as well. The grey humanoid started to shake as he tried to shatter her presence; tried to break apart this dark presence that was filled with so much hatred for him but also filled with so much __compassion__  for the bond and Kylo.

 

“I won’t allow this, Avelyn.”

 

The young woman reached a hand up and unclasped her mask; the metal falling to the ground with a loud clang. Her eyes shone brightly from within her hood and she twirled her still lit ‘saber. “I don’t expect you too.”

 

She could feel the battle going on inside of Kylo and she couldn’t blame him. It was only because of the memories that the scavenger let loose that she had actually found that she __wanted__  Snoke dead; that she refused to be his puppet any longer.

 

The sounds of rustling fabric and armor clanging together brought her attention to the Knights that started to move closer to her. She saw Snoke looking at them with an expectancy to kill her in his eyes. “What are you going to do?” Avelyn glanced at the older woman behind her as her voice reached her before she turned back to the Knights. “The only thing left to do.”

 

One of the Knights, Big Sword, pointed his weapon at her. “We can finally stop holding back.” Avelyn narrowed her eyes and unleashed her second ‘saber; the twin glows illuminating her eyes. “I expect nothing less.”

 

Pike came at her and she pushed the General away; her ‘sabers clashing with his weapon before one swung at him. He jumped back to avoid being hit and Small Sword took his place with Electro-Pike coming from the side. She blocked the sword with one lightsaber and swung at the electro-pike with her other; the two weapons crackling as a bright light shined from where the met.

 

She could hear the vibro-axe and turned to see that the Knight had been sneaking towards the General. Without a second thought, she pushed both Knights away and swung at the Knight. He had not been paying attention to the dark female and the General watched with wide eyes as a red lightsaber cleanly cut off the Knights head; the appendage rolling to the ground as the body dropped with a thud. She looked up at Avelyn but the female had already turned around to block a sword from slicing at her.

 

Blaster arm raised his weapon and started firing at her and Avelyn grit her teeth as a bolt grazed her arm; intent on killing him next. She used the Force and pushed three Knights away from her as she swung her ‘sabers; blocking blaster bolts as she did while she swung one of her weapons at the black figure. He dodged it but was not fast enough to evade the second ‘saber; which cut off his blaster arm before he was stabbed in the chest. Avelyn heard another Knight come up from behind her, the sound of the electro-pike made her heart beat fast, and she quickly swiped her ‘saber out of the dead Knight; turning around with frantic haste. She raised a ‘saber to block his attack but a red blade was shoved through his chest from the back; the crackling of a familiar lightsaber made her almost breathe a breath of relief.

 

The body fell and she looked into the eyes of Kylo Ren; his eyes shining brightly from the red glows of their weapon.

 

Avelyn felt him caress her presence and she almost sobbed with relief at the gentleness. They had much to talk about and she had so much to apologize for but now was not the time; not with the remaining four angry Knights and furious Snoke still alive and not to mention they still had the General to protect.

 

The two apprentices took up a stance side by side with the General behind them and Avelyn twirled a ‘saber as Snoke glared furiously from behind the line of four Knights. “You betray me to protect the Resistance?”

 

Avelyn shook her head slowly as Kylo clenched his ‘saber; his voice dripping with hatred as he spoke back. “This has nothing to do with them.”

 

As soon as the words left his mouth, Avelyn’s eyes widened with the presence of two familiar Force users; Kylo and Snoke doing the same. The grey humanoid looked at Avelyn with pure rage. “What is the meaning of this?”

 

The dark female gave him a smirk.

 

“Back-up is here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My sweet friend is the best for editing for me.


	40. Thirty-Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me quickly say I am sooooo sorry I haven't updated lately. I went on a family trip which had horrible internet and I started interning at a vet's office so I've been very busy with that.   
> So without further ado, here's another chapter!

Kylo looked at Avelyn with surprise.

 

“How?”

 

The young woman shrugged. “I always knew I’d come to love trackers.” An explosion sounded in the distance as Kylo and Avelyn stood before Snoke and the remaining Knights. Beady black eyes regarded her with a look of disappointment. “I should have continued keeping you apart from each other. You were astounding when you were alone and now I see that the problem before us was of my own selfish doing.”

 

Avelyn swallowed thickly as she tried, just for a brief moment, to picture how it would be without Kylo; without the bond. All she could see was a lonely, bitter existence that was filled with death and darkness. She could feel the Light from deep inside Kylo and it swirled beautifully around her darkness. It blended so nicely together and Avelyn felt a wave of something she had never felt before. The feeling was neither Dark nor Light but something inbetween.

 

Was this what the Grey Jedi felt all those years ago?

 

She was pulled from her thoughts as two presences got closer to the throne room and Kylo stepped in front of her when the Knights took once step towards them. The need to protect Avelyn and the bond was broadcast in his presence and the dark female took up a position behind him. The two Force users narrowed their eyes in a challenging way as Snoke made his way down to the ground floor. “I will not grant you another chance if you refuse to stand down. I’ve had enough of this.”

 

Avelyn twirled a ‘saber and stood defiantly behind Kylo. The grey humanoid growled and the remaining four Knights made their move. Avelyn and Kylo separated from each other and each took on two; the Knights letting their anger fuel their desire for bloodlust.

 

The General stood back; looking on as her son and his lover fought with the Knight of Ren. She had heard from Rey her encounters with the female but she had no clue that she would take the love that had shone in her eyes for Ben this far.

 

The older woman jumped as a hand wrapped itself around her bicep and she looked into the familiar eyes of her brother. “Luke! You came.” The old man nodded. “It seems that your kidnapper wanted you found but we must hurry if we are to escape.” Leia shook her head. “No. We have to help Ben and Avelyn. We have to kill Snoke.”

 

Luke looked at her with confusion. “Avelyn?”

 

The General nodded toward Avelyn as the young female jumped back to miss being injured by the vibro-pike. “The young woman; that is her name. She’s defying Snoke, Luke, and Ben will go wherever she goes. We have to help.”

 

“They’re joining the Resistance?”

 

Leia frowned at her brother as Rey stood next to him; her eyes tracking each move Ben and Avelyn did. “This is not the time to talk, Luke. We can end Snoke here if we help those two. Please, Luke. I was right when I said there was still Light in him. I can feel it.”

 

Luke could feel it too; the feeling of the Light mixing in with the dark, __Avelyn’s__  darkness, was overwhelming. He could see Snoke slinking in the background; his black eyes fixated on the dark female. The old man looked over at Rey and she nodded back at him. The two Light users unclipped their ‘sabers and joined in the fray.

 

Avelyn was stunned when a blue lightsaber stopped the elctro-pike from hitting her and turned to see the scavenger. A mutual understanding passed through their gazes and they both nodded to each other; Rey pushing the Knight back. Avelyn’s gaze soon found Snoke’s and she twirled her ‘saber as she stared him down. The grey humanoid looked at her and straightened his tall body. “I always guessed that my death would come from anyone but you, Avelyn. How the future can change.”

 

The young female grit her teeth and swung her ‘saber at him; only to get blocked by a black lightsaber.

 

Her eyes widened as she looked at it.

 

The Darksaber was Snoke’s most prized possession. It was a one of a kind ancient lightsaber that Avelyn so happened to pick up on one of her many missions. She had cut down being after being to get it and she could feel the powerful energy that was within its kyber crystal. After she had given it to Snoke, she had researched all she could on it and found that the ‘saber’s crystal served as conduit for Force energy. Whoever was wielding it, their thoughts and actions could guide the blade’s power, with the blade often producing an electrical effect in response to a heightened emotional state.

 

She cursed the Mandalorians for creating it and she cursed herself for bringing it to Snoke.

 

Avelyn pushed against Snoke; making space between them as Kylo came through the bond at the feeling of her hatred. He was like an anchor in her mind and she appreciated his presence as he appreciated her’s. The dark female looked at her former master as she twirled a blade and she gripped it tightly . She moved toward Snoke as she swung one of her blades at him and he blocked it; pushing it away as she came at him with her other one. Their lightsabers clashed with a fury of sparks and she pressed both blades against his; their eyes meeting with a heated glare. “You were perfect, Avelyn. The galaxy could have been at peace if you hadn’t disobeyed my command.”

 

Avelyn clenched her jaw. “As long as you and Hux live, there is no peace.”

 

Snoke pushed her away and came out with a series of blows. They were both vaguely aware of the other three Force users fighting the Knights; Kylo killing one as Rey and Luke worked together to take down another. Avelyn swung and blocked; her movements a blur but Snoke was meeting her at every turn, her training was so known by him after all.

 

They had clashed once more and cry rang out through the throne room; Avelyn faltering as she tried to figure out who was injured as her mind raised across the bond to Kylo. He met her halfway and was concerned when it had been Kylo who was dealt a blow; non threatening but still painful.

 

But it was all Snoke needed.

 

He shoved her ‘sabers out of the way and Avelyn felt a burning in her chest. She met beady black eyes with her own as she took a shuddering breath; her gaze lowering to look down. That horrid black ‘saber, that had a white glow around the edges, had stabbed through her chest; the pain dull at the moment as Avelyn’s mind tried to comprehend what had happened. She looked back up into Snoke’s eyes and saw no compassion, no emotions as he held the burning lightsaber. Her hands loosened their grip on her own and the twin blades fell to the ground with a loud clang.

 

Kylo heard the noise and looked over at her; his heart stopping.

 

Snoke’s towering figure was hunched over Avelyn’s as the darksaber burned through her. Kylo threw himself across the bond and clutched onto Avelyn’s faltering presence; holding her tightly with his mind. He inserted himself between the wall of pain that was coming and her; stabbing the Knight he was fighting as _rage_  tore through him.

 

Snoke leaned close to Avelyn and she felt Kylo tightened his hold on her as it got harder for her to breathe.

 

“You, Avelyn, were my _greatest_  success. And now, you are my greatest _failure_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, that last line gives me chills.  
> And I wrote it.


	41. Forty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got so much anxiety and depression, it's messing with me.  
> There's an extra chapter after this one so don't write it off yet x)

Snoke pushed Avelyn with the Force and her body was violently thrown backwards.

 

She hit the ground with a crack and a scream tore it’s way out of throat as the pain broke through Kylo’s walls and enveloped around her. A whimper escaped her as she rolled; coming to a halt as she laid on her left side. Her chest hurt and she was very sure something had cracked when she hit the ground.

 

“Avelyn!”

 

Hands grabbed at her and she gasped as the pain flared; the hands becoming gentler as Kylo tried to keep the pain at bay. His brown orbs came into her vision and a hand rested on her cheek; the presence of the General coming closer. “Avelyn, hang in there. We’ll get you to the medbay.”

 

Avelyn shook her head as she took a breath; pain flaring throughout her body as she rasped out a breath. “Not with him still alive.” Kylo looked behind at Snoke; the grey humanoid twirling that horrid darksaber as Luke and Rey finished off the rest of the Knights. The old man knelt down beside Avelyn as Leia grabbed one of her hands; the young female clutching it. “She won’t last if we don’t get her help.”

 

Kylo clenched his jaw as Avelyn’s eyes flashed painfully as she struggled to breath. He felt her presence shudder and falter; his hold on it tightening. His rage swirled around the both of them and he glared at Snoke with hatred. He refused to let her go; not after all they had done for each other.

 

The dark apprentice picked his lightsaber back up and stood; facing Snoke.

 

Luke looked at Rey; the scavenger looking lost in the situation. “Rey, you must help Ben. In his rage, he will be blinded to many things. You must help him kill Snoke.” Rey looked into the eyes of Avelyn and found them already staring at her; her eyes shining with unshed tears. She shivered as she felt the dark female brush along her walls but she went to stand by Kylo. The two looked at each other and nodded; the two Force users rushing at Snoke.

 

The grey humanoid picked up one of Avelyn’s ‘sabers and blocked the two.

 

Avelyn couldn’t focus on the fight herself as her vision blurred but she used all her strength to help Kylo stay focus.

 

__“_ Block _.”__

__

__“_ Right swing _.”__

__

__“_ Dodge _!”__

__

__“_ Push him back _.”__

__

__“_ Don’t let him touch you _.”__

__

__“_ Don’t let him into your mind _.”__

__

**_“Don’t let him into your mind.”_ **

 

Avelyn choked on a sob as pain flared again and she felt herself getting weaker. Luke leaned over her and he placed a hand over her wound; a cry escaping her. Kylo faltered in his steps when he heard it but she had smacked his presence when he made a move to check on her.

 

__“_ Focus! _”__

 

Luke closed his eyes as he used the Force to begin closing her wound; finding it difficult as he did. Avelyn whimpered at the pain and Leia smoothed hair out of her face as she stared up at the old woman. Her mind reached out for Rey as Kylo and her battled against Snoke.

 

__“_ You have to take this bond back. _”__

 

The scavenger froze; giving Kylo time to start attacking with fury as Snoke started to back up from his crazed ex-apprentice.

 

_What?_

_“You have to take this bond back. Kylo needs someone.”_

_He has you. I’ve seen it. You’re all he needs._

_“I’m not going to be here for much longer.”_

 

Rey’s eyes widened with that response.

 

Avelyn felt her body getting heavier; her mind becoming more clouded as Kylo’s grip on her tightened with each second. She was using her strength in helping him instead of helping herself and knew that Skywalker could not help what had been done as she felt him try to heal the wound the darksaber had caused. Her eyes fluttered and Leia’s grip on her hand tightened. Luke felt the dark female’s presence falter and looked at his sister. “Leia, you must use the Force inside you and help Ben keep hold of her presence.”

 

But the General didn’t know how.

 

“You know I can’t use it, Luke. I’ve tried.”

 

Her brother smile sadly at her. “You didn’t try enough. Now focus. Feel it around you.”

 

A presence brushed Leia’s mind; a faint whisper following it. “ _Just let it in _.__ ”

 

Leia took a deep breath and closed her eyes as Avelyn’s did the same; her body going limp as Kylo’s hold tightened again. The General could feel a powerful presence pulsing in the air; moving all around them and it was gravitating toward Avelyn the most. She used the feeling and reached out with it toward Avelyn; surprised when she felt a huge, dark presence before her. Shuddering at the overwhelming darkness, she made her way through until she felt another presence wrapped tight around the dark one. It lashed out at her before freezing; Leia realizing that it was her son the moment he realized it was her. She wrapped herself around the two of them; Avelyn’s presence getting weaker as she gave her strength to Kylo.

 

_Avelyn, stop!_

_“It’s okay, Kylo. Everything is going to be okay.”_

_I’m not losing you._

_“I’ll always be with you.”_

_Avelyn!_

__

Kylo swung his ‘saber as Rey swung her’s and Snoke blocked both of them but Kylo pushed the one before him out of the way. He twirled his and swung at one of Snoke’s hands; the grey humanoid shrieking as his hand dropped to the ground with the darksaber. Rey swung at his chest and he growled as her blade struck him; Snoke glaring at them with a rage. The two Force users attacked in turns and Snoke retreated back as they came at him. Kylo swung his ‘saber and it connected with Snoke’s neck; the scarred head falling to the ground along with his body.

 

He felt Snoke’s presence vanish and he breathed a laugh as his previous master faded from his mind.

 

Kylo searched for the one presence that he needed and bolted for Avelyn’s body when he couldn’t feel it.

 

“ **Avelyn!** _ _”__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Fin~


	42. Alternate Ending

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have now come to the end of the beginning of Avelyn and Kylo's journey. Took me a year to write but I'm very happy it is finished as well as little sad.
> 
> Now onto some tiny little notes:  
> The song I chose for Avelyn and Kylo's relationship is Pendulum by A Skylit Drive. It's what sparked my inspiration for the last battle with Snoke and the rest of the story; hence the title for this story. Now that I have written it and you have all read it, you will understand why I chose it if you listen to it.
> 
> A few other songs that helped with my inspiration:  
> Rise Above by Veigar Margeirsson - It's an instrumental piece which I absolutely adore. I made a tiny book trailer in my head of important scenes in the story and it helped me so much.  
> Moon by The Cab - My best friend said that this reminded her of Avelo; most likely cause it mentions the Dark Side XD  
> Numbers by The Cab - Also another song from my bestie. I always imagined Kylo being that guy who absolutely adores his girl and this song just fits.  
> Hold On For Your Life by Sam Tinnesz - This song just makes me cry and yes, the ending of this book was thought about a lot. x)  
> Heroes Will Rise by J2 & Chroma Music - It fits Avelyn and Kylo both in the end.  
> Control by Halsey - It just fits with their personalities in the beginning.  
> Castle by Halsey - I literally imagined Avelyn just walking all badass like when I listen to this song. She came, she saw, and she conquered x)
> 
> And now onto the extra chapter. ^-^

Kylo Ren - _No, he was Ben now_  - walked through the huge doorway of the new Jedi Temple.

 

It had been years since Snoke had been destroyed.

 

Years since the First Order had been defeated.

 

He had been pardoned by his mother as he had defected and killed his own master. But he had been watched carefully by Luke and Rey. He scoffed at the memory; like he would go back to the way he had been. To come as far as he did, to have changed as much as he had; it would be foolish to go back to being the Master of the Knights of Ren, one of Snoke’s greatest triumphs. He couldn’t go back.

 

_Not after what he had lost to gain his freedom_.

 

Because he could still feel _her_  in his mind, a fluttering ghost of a presence that had once known how to take him apart and put him back together again. _She_ had helped him, helped the Resistance without realizing it, and it had cost _her_  everything.

 

He was here and _she_  was not.

 

Looking up, he saw Rey, his uncle and the Force ghosts of his grandfather and Kenobi.

 

Rey noticed him and gave a smile that warmed his very being. She had picked up where _she_  had once been, being the stable presence he needed to survive. Rey had forgiven him when no one else could, defended _her_ where Ben couldn’t and had stayed with him after his heart broke into tiny pieces; to put them back together and make him whole again. She loved him and he, in return, grew to love her but Rey wasn’t _her_.

 

But _she_  was gone.

 

And Rey - _the kriffing scavenger who wasn’t a scavenger anymore_ \- had accepted it and had helped him through it all. The two had started a family together and Ben looked on as she held _his son_  for Luke, Anakin and Kenobi to see. His grandfather smiled and rested a blue hand on the child’s head while Kenobi spoke softly to Rey and Luke.

 

He swallowed hard and went to join his family.

 

Rey smiled at him again as he took his son into his arms, his family watching him carefully. Anakin seemed to have a pained look on his face but he still smiled at his grandsons. Luke, Kenobi and Rey started to talk but Ben didn’t pay attention. He was gazing at his son and smiling when the tiny being gripped onto his finger.

 

“As much as we would love to stay longer, Anakin and I must go.”

 

Ben looked up at Kenobi and Rey looked confused. “I thought you said you would stay here with us.” Anakin rested a hand on her shoulder. “We are but there is another person who is about to make it through the Force from the other side. We must be there.” Rey nodded, her eyes asking questions, but she kept quiet as the two blue beings vanished. Luke nodded to the couple before excusing himself to go meditate. Rey looked at Ben. “You would think after all these years with us, Luke wouldn’t want to be by himself.” Ben brought his wife close and kissed her forehead as the baby between them cooed. “For almost twenty years, he was alone, Rey. Give him time.” She sighed and nodded, taking in his familiar scent before the familiar presence of Anakin and Kenobi appeared again . The two Force users were confused by their sudden quick return and they turned to see where they were before another presence slowly appeared. Ben swallowed hard when a thrum sounded in the back of his skull.

 

He knew that presence.

 

Gently handing the baby to a surprised and confused Rey, he stepped closer to where his grandfather and uncle appeared. A blue mist appeared beside them; shimmering for a few seconds before taking the shape of a young woman; whose back was turned to Ben’s. But he knew.

 

Oh, he _knew_.

 

“ ** _Avelyn._** ”

 

_She_  turned around; her brown hair slipping off her shoulders as she smiled softly and her eyes softening as she gazed at him.

 

“ _Hey, Kylo._ ”

 

\------------------------------------------------------------

Ben stared at the Force ghost of Avelyn as she peered down at the sleeping babe in Rey’s arms.

 

He finally turned to his grandfather. “How-” Anakin held up a hand. “ _She’s strong in the Force, Ben; you know that. It took me less time to become a ghost but she wanted you to be alright first. She saw the time was right and came through._ ” Ben swallowed thickly as Anakin disappeared; leaving him with the one he loved now and the one he loved long ago.

 

Avelyn was smiling softly as she looked at the tiny being. “ _He looks like his father._ ” She looked up at Rey. “ _You have a beautiful son._ ” Rey smiled weakly, feeling Ben’s mixed emotions through their bond; a bond that used to be between _him and Avelyn_. The latter frowned and sent a disapproving look to the male near them. “ _Tone down your emotions, Kylo, and give your wife a break._ ” He broke from his trance and cleared his throat; his voice cracking as he spoke. “I go by Ben now.”

 

A small smile spread across the dead female’s face.

 

“ _You’re a Grey Jedi._ ”

 

He nodded and her smile grew bigger. She once more peered down as the babe woke up and Rey sent a reassuring smile to her husband.

 

“ _He has your big ears, you know._ ”

 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

Rey bolted awake when a thrum sounded in her head.

 

Avelyn had been back for seven years now, helping her, Ben and Luke train new padwans; Anakin and Kenobi giving their input when needed. She had taken upon herself the task of helping the little ones walk the balance between the dark and the light and, so far, it was working. And as Rey thought about the lesson they were going to give the next day, she followed the presence to her son’s room.

 

She pushed the door open to find Han fast asleep in his bed and _Avelyn_ by his window. The female turned as Rey stepped inside. “ _He was having a nightmare. I took it apart._ ” Rey nodded, going to her son and pulling the sheet up around his chin. She reached out toward his mind and found a wall; a huge, impenetrable wall that kept her and everything out. Her head snapped to look at the dead Force user, who was already looking at her. “ _He’s part Skywalker, Rey. He’s powerful already, like his father and his grandfather were. Snoke was able to get to Ben in his sleep, when he was most vulnerable. The grey bastard might be gone but I don’t know who is left in the galaxy that is like him._ ”

 

And Rey was touched by her protectiveness.

 

Avelyn quietly came over to her and glanced down at her barely swollen belly. “ _I loved Ben and I still love him but he needs you. His grandfather was right when he said I waited for Ben to heal, to accept my death. I hoped he could find someone to help him; to love him like I did._ ” Dark, soft brown eyes met equally dark brown ones as Rey turned to look at the blue ghost. “ _You helped him when no one would and I thank you for that.”_ Her eyes softened some more and her voice was quiet as she turned to look toward the sleeping child. _“I won’t let anyone hurt your children, Rey._ ”

 

Rey smiled sadly at the former dark one. “Thank you.”

 

Avelyn nodded. “ _Sleep. A new day begins soon_.”

 

The pregnant woman left her son’s room, leaving the Force ghost to watch after him; a silent protector in the night. She climbed into her bed and Ben wrapped his arms around her; pulling her close. Rey buried her face into his chest and felt Avelyn wrapping herself around her presence; a blanket to ease her mind. She sighed contently and fell into a dreamless sleep.

 

A blue ghost watched over the family; chasing away nightmares of days gone past and days to come.

 

 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
_Avelyn screamed into the darkness; frightened and alone._

_It was dark and the Force was so powerful; pressing itself into every corner of her very core. She was just a spirit, left to wander in the Force and find peace where she needed it. Feeling the tiny, faint presence of Kylo in the Force, she reached out for it; only to have it slip from her grasp._

__

**_‘Kylo!’_ **

__

_He was being held back from her and she curled into a tiny presence and let the Force run through her, both the Light and the Dark. Whispers soon reached her but she did nothing to acknowledge them. Once more, the presence of Kylo faintly came and she quickly caught it; wrapping herself around it. He was in pain, in pain over her death and he was heartbroken. Rage and sadness tore into his very being and Avelyn could do nothing._

_She couldn’t do what she promised she would._

_But a different presence came; a Light user._

_Rey._

_The Light user wrapped herself around the mind of Kylo; soothing him through the bond that Avelyn had instructed Rey to take back again. She continued to hold on to his presence as two different ones washed over her._

__

_**Avelyn, do not be afraid.** _

__

_**‘Who are you?’** _

__

_**It’s me. Obi-Wan.** _

**_**** _ **

_Another voice spoke out. **And Anakin Skywalker.**_

_**** _

**_‘You’re here to help me?’_ **

_**** _

_Anakin sent a a pulse of confirmation toward her and she relaxed her hold on Kylo’s presence. **Avelyn. You are strong in the Force. You can become like us.**_

_**** _

**_‘I can’t. He’s not ready.’_ **

_Confusion flowed though both presences of the old Jedi Knights but it was Anakin you spoke up. **What do you mean?**_

_**** _

**_‘He is in pain and rage. I can’t go back or else he won’t forgive himself; won’t find peace. He must find the peace in my death and let me go; find happiness somewhere else. And when he does, I will go back. But not now.’_ **

_**** _

_Obi-Wan and Anakin both understood what she was saying and stayed wrapped around her. She, in return, kept herself wrapped around Kylo; monitoring his every emotion._

__

__\---------------------------------------------__  
  
_Both Jedi Knights made it a point to ask her if she was ready to tame the Force in order to become a Force ghost._

_And each time she would say: ** **‘** He’s not ready yet.’**_

__

__\------------------------------------------__  
  
_Anakin came to her once again. **Are you ready, Avelyn?**_

****

**_‘Not now. But soon. He’s just not ready yet.’_ **

__

__\--------------------------------------------__  
  
_Days turned into weeks._

_Weeks turned into months._

_Months turned into years._

_And still Avelyn deemed Kylo not ready for her to appear again._

_Until peace rippled through the Force and Avelyn let go of Kylo’s presence; casting out into the Force toward Anakin and Obi-Wan._

_‘ **I’m ready.** ’_

__

__\----------------------------------------__  
  
_The presences of Yoda and Qui-Gon Jin joined Anakin and Obi-Wan as they helped Avelyn along in her process. She prevailed and followed Anakin and Obi-Wan through the Force; appearing in a newly built structure. The Force rippled with strength through the enclosed space and Avelyn felt alive again._

_Her presence thrummed in the building._

_“Avelyn?”_

_She turned around and met the eyes of the man she had given her life to save; smiling softly._

_“ **Hey, Kylo.** ”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bless my best friend for talking me into writing a sequel because I was literally about to make this the ending and not write a sequel. But then as I thought about it more, an idea for the sequel popped into my head and I have started writing it.  
> She is very happy that I have agreed not to kill Avelyn or Kylo.  
> Yet. x)  
> Stay tuned.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
